The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 23, 2021
corruption that rocked Chile in 2019 and 2020. His rival, meanwhile, stood on a platform of law and order, pledging cuts to tax and social spending. Kast also defended the legacy of Gen Pinochet, who took power in a coup and ruled the country from 1973 to 1990. Under his leadership more than 3,000 people were murdered by the state or disappeared. In his concession, Kast congratulated Boric on “his great triumph.” From his campaign headquarters on Sunday night, President-elect Boric said, “I want to begin this historical moment, which is tremendously exciting and that the eyes of Chile and the world are watching, thanking all Chileans who went to vote, honoring their commitment to democracy.” He added, “It doesn’t matter if you did it for me or my opponent; the important thing is that you did it, you were present, you showed your commitment to this country that belongs to each of you.” Outgoing Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said, “Chileans have given an example of democracy, you were part of that, I congratulate you.” The Jewish Community of Chile, a nonprofit representing communal interests, congratulated Boric in a short statement, wishing him and his government “much success” and praising the transparency of the country’s elections. It concluded, “We will continue to work for a democratic, diverse Chile where minorities are respected. “ The official group representing Chile’s roughly 18,000 Jews has a complicated relationship with Boric. In 2019, it sent him a Rosh Hashanah gift along with a note expressing a desire for a “more inclusive, respectful society with more solidarity.” “I appreciate the gesture but they could start by asking Israel to return the illegally occupied Palestinian territory,” Boric wrote after posting a picture of the gift to Twitter. Boric’s criticism of Israel is longstanding. As a lawmaker, he supported a bill proposing to boycott Israeli goods from the Golan, West Bank settlements, and areas of Jerusalem that came under Israeli control in 1967. During the campaign, many members of the community expressed concern over that, along with what they said was a pattern of demanding that local Jews condemn
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Israeli policy. “We are of course willing to accept reasonable criticism about Israel, but what we hear from Boric is that Israel is a ‘genocidal’ and ‘murderous’ state,” Gabriel Zaliasnik, a prominent member of Chile’s Jewish community, told Israel’s Haaretz daily last week. “To make matters worse, he blames our Jewish community for Israel’s actions.” On November 21, Chile held a general election, which ended with Kast garnering 28% of the vote and Boric nabbing 25% of the vote. With neither candidate winning over 50% of the vote, the two were forced to hold a runoff. Once the most stable economy in Latin America, Chile has one of the world’s largest income gaps, with 1% of the population owning 25% of the country’s wealth, according to the United Nations.
Prison Officer Stabbed
An Israel Prisons Service staff member was stabbed on Monday afternoon in the Nafkha Prison. The stabbing coincides with Hamas’ threat to respond to alleged mistreatment of female terrorists, Arab reports said. According to the Prisons Service, the staff member was lightly wounded by a prisoner in the Hamas wing. The wing is under control. The Jerusalem Post quoted Arab media as saying that several Hamas prisoners were sent into isolation after the incident. Hamas praised the stabbing, claiming it was a “natural response” to the “escalation” faced by female terrorists. Hamas also warned Israel not to “continue its crimes” against female terrorists.
