Chilean Parliament Questions Ambassador Zaliasnik Over Controversial Map Representing Palestinian Territories as Israeli and Calls for Evaluation of His Position

Original article: “No ofrece garantías”: diputados cuestionan a Zaliasnik por mapa que mostraba territorios palestinos como parte de Israel y piden evaluar su continuidad

The Chilean-Palestinian Interparliamentary Group has raised concerns with Chile’s ambassador to Israel, Gabriel Zaliasnik, regarding his comments about the Palestinian community in the country, stating that it «does not offer guarantees» to represent the foreign policy of our nation, and formally requested President José Antonio Kast and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess his continuation in the role.

Members of parliament believe that the ambassador’s participation in an interview on the «Defending Israel with David Harris» program, aired on Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS), is a serious violation of Chile’s historical position, as the set displayed a map that «represented the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory—West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip—as part of Israel, along with the occupied Golan Heights, without raising any objections, essentially erasing Palestine’s existence.

According to the Interparliamentary Group, the fact that the ambassador remained silent in the face of such cartography is not a minor detail; rather, it is an action that transgresses the position our country has maintained regarding the occupied territories.

«This representation contradicts Chile’s recognition of the state of Palestine, the resolutions of the United Nations, and our country’s historical stance on occupied territories«, they indicated.

However, the criticism extends beyond the map to the ambassador’s political statements. The statement adds a second layer of concerns, highlighting that “these include his disparaging remarks about the Palestinian community in Chile and his statements on potential changes in the country’s international voting positions.”

«These factors demonstrate that the ambassador does not provide guarantees of faithfully representing Chile’s interests or the foreign policy defined by its authorities«, the document asserts.

Following the controversy surrounding Zaliasnik’s statements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs distanced itself from his comments, clarifying that they did not reflect the official position of the ministry.

Simultaneously, the Minister of the Interior and Segegob, Claudio Alvarado, addressed the issue, stating that “the Government does not share the ambassador’s remarks.”

“We acknowledge that he made a mistake,” he admitted, although the Kast administration decided to retain Zaliasnik in his position.

The Chilean-Palestinian Interparliamentary Group expressed appreciation for the clarification from La Moneda regarding the ambassador’s statements not representing the Ministry’s position. However, they emphasized that «what transpired cannot simply be reduced to a call for order».

The deputies argued that the diplomatic role “demands an unequivocal commitment to international law, human rights, and the enduring interests of Chile”.

The parliamentary group’s pronouncement followed a letter from the Palestinian Community of Chile addressed to Kast, expressing their “deep concern” over Zaliasnik’s stigmatizing remarks about Chileans of Palestinian descent.

In the letter, they deemed it “inappropriate for someone who officially represents Chile before another state to attempt to relativize the identity” that generations of Chilean citizens have embraced.

“Will this be how your Government interacts with Chileans of Palestinian descent?,” they questioned the president.

In light of the controversy’s magnitude, the ambassador himself issued an apology for his comments: “It was never my intent, nor can it be inferred from my words, to offend or affect fellow citizens, particularly the Palestinian community,” he stated.