Chile has ended a diplomatic standoff lasting nearly three years by naming a new ambassador to Israel, marking one of President José Antonio Kast’s most significant foreign policy moves since taking office.
The South American nation had been without diplomatic representation in Israel for 947 days, a gap that started when former President Gabriel Boric recalled the previous ambassador in October 2023, less than a month after the Hamas attack on October 7.
Gabriel Zaliasnik, a prominent attorney and former leader of Chile’s Jewish community, will fill the vacant post. His selection represents more than just a routine diplomatic assignment – it signals a fundamental shift in how Chile approaches its relationship with Israel.
Following the announcement by Chile’s Foreign Ministry, Zaliasnik expressed gratitude on social media platform X, thanking Kast for “the trust placed in me by appointing me ambassador to the State of Israel.” He pledged that Chile would “take care of the strategic bilateral relationship of more than 70 years” and said he would assume the role “with strength and hope.”
The Foreign Ministry highlighted Zaliasnik’s credentials as a University of Chile-educated attorney, founder of the Albagli Zaliasnik law firm, and former Justice Ministry adviser on criminal procedure reform. However, his political significance extends beyond his legal background – he previously served as president of the Jewish Community of Chile and has been a vocal advocate on Israel-related issues.
The diplomatic post became vacant on October 31, 2023, when Boric ordered Ambassador Jorge Carvajal back to Santiago for consultations following the October 7 attack and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza. Carvajal never returned to Tel Aviv and was later reassigned to the Netherlands.
Under Boric’s administration, Chile-Israel relations deteriorated significantly. The former president initially refused to receive Israeli Ambassador Gil Artzyeli’s credentials in 2022, citing the death of a Palestinian teenager during an Israeli military operation. After October 7, Chile joined Mexico in referring Gaza’s situation to the International Criminal Court and later supported South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The breakdown in relations particularly affected the more than 10,000 Chileans living in Israel. Five Chilean citizens were killed in the October 7 attack, and others were taken hostage. Community members criticized Boric for failing to provide adequate public recognition of their losses while simultaneously distancing Chile from Israel diplomatically.
The Chilean Community of Israel released a statement calling the appointment “a great day for Chilean democracy” and describing it as “an act of repair.” The organization’s president, Hernán López, and vice president, Sivan Gobrin, accused Boric of having “instrumentalized the figure of the ambassador as a weapon against the government of Israel.”
In an interview, López described the recall of the previous ambassador as making him “basically a hostage of the president to punish Israel.” He argued that this policy also punished “the Chilean community in Israel and the 10,000 Chileans who live here.”
Gabriel Silber, a former member of Chile’s Chamber of Deputies and Jewish community member, characterized the Boric years as marked by “an absolutely ideologized bilateral agenda.” He argued that previous Chilean governments, regardless of political orientation, had viewed Israel through the lens of national interest, focusing on technology, security, water management, mining, agriculture, and innovation.
“Chile, under governments of the left and the right, saw Israel as a relevant ally,” Silber explained. “What mattered was Chile’s own agenda.” He contended that this changed under Boric, who “moved toward an agenda centered on anti-Israel sentiment.”
The Jewish Community of Chile also welcomed Zaliasnik’s appointment, emphasizing the restoration of normal diplomatic ties. The organization expressed hope for “new opportunities for cooperation in areas of great relevance” and “a new stage of encounter and bridge-building between Chile and Israel.”
Dafne Englander, executive director of the Jewish Community of Chile, said the appointment fulfilled promises Kast made during his campaign. She noted that he had avoided making public statements about Israel during the election to prevent controversy, instead telling Jewish leaders he would “act” once in power.
“It is a very powerful signal,” Englander said. “It means putting Israel back in a relevant place as a strategic partner for Chile.” She emphasized that Kast chose someone who would inevitably draw criticism, demonstrating his commitment to the relationship.
The appointment has drawn criticism from Palestinian organizations in Chile. The Palestinian Community of Chile called the decision “a very serious decision,” “contrary to the national interest,” and “deeply offensive” to Chileans of Palestinian origin. The group asked the government to reverse the appointment.
Antonia Orellana, a former minister for women and gender equality under Boric, also criticized the decision, calling it “a terrible signal for Chile’s interests” and arguing that Zaliasnik had defended positions “contrary to Chile’s historical position.”
The controversy reflects deeper tensions within Chile, which hosts one of the largest Palestinian diasporas outside the Middle East. In April 2025, Maurice Khamis, president of the Palestinian Community of Chile, and Marcela Sabat, its director of public affairs, became the first Chilean-Palestinian representatives to join the PLO Central Committee.
Khamis has been a controversial figure, stating in a 2021 interview: “I absolutely support Hamas, because Hamas is a resistance movement.” After October 7, he said the Palestinian Community condemned attacks against Israeli civilians and rejected violence as a political method.
Englander suggested that the Palestinian community leadership has little interest in separating local coexistence from the Middle East conflict. “Their objective is to keep the conflict permanently in the public arena,” she said.
The appointment ends the diplomatic vacancy but faces significant challenges. The embassy requires staffing, budget allocation, and political support to function effectively. Agreements that stalled under political pressure will need revival, and defense and technology partnerships must be carefully managed.
López expressed cautious optimism about the opening created by Zaliasnik’s appointment while acknowledging the difficulties ahead. He noted that the new ambassador arrives at “a Foreign Ministry that does not have great resources” and an embassy that is “semi-dismantled in terms of staff and budget.”
Despite these challenges, López sees an opportunity to move beyond the defensive posture of recent years. “We do not have to continue being the opposition to an antisemitic government,” he said. “We can be a normal, constructive civil organization.”
The appointment represents Kast’s first major step in repairing Chile-Israel relations. The more challenging task will be demonstrating that Zaliasnik’s selection marks not just a reversal of Boric’s policies, but the foundation for lasting strategic cooperation between the two nations.
