Original article: “Débil, tardía e insuficiente”: Comunidad Palestina exige a Kast condenar secuestro de chilenos por Israel

Palestinian Community Demands Strong Condemnation from Kast Over Kidnapping of Chileans by Israel

The Palestinian Community of Chile criticized the reaction of President José Antonio Kast, labeling it as «weak, late, and inadequate» following the kidnapping of four Chilean citizens by Israeli forces in international waters while they were participating in a humanitarian mission with the Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza.

In a public statement released on Tuesday, the organization condemned what it termed a «serious violation of rights» and a «direct affront to the sovereignty and dignity of Chile». More than 24 hours have passed since the interception of the civilian vessel, and the group denounced the lack of a clear, public, and categorical condemnation from the government, calling it an «unacceptable silence.»

It is important to note that the flotilla had resumed its journey from the Turkish port of Marmaris alongside 54 ships and about 500 participants, aiming to deliver food, medical supplies, and basic aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are under Israeli blockade.

However, on Monday, they reported that their vessels were once again intercepted by Israeli warships in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, during which four Chilean citizens were kidnapped by the forces of the Zionist regime.

According to the Chilean-Palestinian Parliamentary Committee in the Senate, those kidnapped are Víctor Chanfreau, Carolina Eltit, Claudio Caiozzi, and Ignacio Ladrón de Guevara. The latter was traveling with a Spanish passport and was part of the Spanish delegation, «without prejudice to his Chilean nationality,» and so far, there is no official information on their whereabouts or where they have been taken.

In their statement, the Palestinian Community in Chile asserted that the «State cannot neglect its most basic obligation: protecting its citizens, especially when they are detained by a foreign power beyond its jurisdiction.»

«The Chilean government’s response has been weak, late, and insufficient. In the face of such grave events, there is no room for ambiguities, diplomatic silence, or administrative responses. When Chilean citizens are kidnapped by a foreign state in international waters, the government has an irreplaceable duty to act with the full diplomatic strength of the state. Failing to do so sends a signal of abandonment to its own citizens and tolerance towards Israel,» the statement emphasized.

Israeli Embassy in Chile Attempts to «Justify the Unjustifiable»

They also strongly condemned the Israeli Embassy’s pronouncement in the country, accusing it of attempting to «justify the unjustifiable» through disqualifications and propaganda.

For the organization, the crux of the matter is unavoidable: Israel intercepted civilian vessels outside its territorial waters and deprived Chilean civilians of their liberty who were participating in a humanitarian mission aimed at denouncing the blockade and the catastrophe in Gaza.

«It is particularly grave that the embassy seeks to label as ‘provocation’ an action intended to denounce the blockade and humanitarian disaster in Gaza while Israel maintains a systematic policy of collective punishment against the Palestinian population. Labeling any solidarity initiative with Palestine as violent or terrorist is part of a well-known strategy: dehumanize the victims, criminalize the assistance, and justify impunity,» they argued.

The organization recalled the recent precedent of Macarena Chahuán, a journalist, Arabic teacher, and Chilean delegate of the Global Sumud Flotilla, who was kidnapped in international waters by Israel, a situation to which Kast’s government limited itself to observing with concern.

What elevates the criticism is that, just days later, the far-right president met with the president of Israel, while rumors circulated about a potential return of the Chilean ambassador to Tel Aviv.

“This conduct represents a deeply erroneous political signal: it normalizes Israeli impunity and weakens the defense of the rights of Chilean citizens,” they pointed out in the statement.

Palestinian Community Urges Kast to Implement Maximum Diplomatic Measures Against Israel

The Palestinian Community in Chile demanded the current government, specifically Kast, to publicly and unequivocally condemn the kidnapping, demand immediate proof of life, guarantee effective consular access, and adopt