The Palestinian Information Center (CIP) repudiated this Wednesday the statements of the Israeli ambassador in Chile, Peleg Lewi, whom it accused of questioning the civilian status of the Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip and of relativizing Israeli responsibility.
The controversy arose after an interview with Radio Paulina, in which the diplomat was questioned about the thousands of Palestinian minors killed by the Israeli army. "I don't know. And who decides if they are children or combatants?" he replied.
Lewi also objected to international questioning focusing on Israel. "They are criticizing Israel. Why doesn't what happened in Syria appear here? Why is Israel the only one to blame for everything?" he posed.
"I don't know how many died and every death is horrible, but I don't believe the numbers from Hamas (...) it's horrible, I blame Hamas, but who put the children in front of us?" he added.
In response to these statements, the CIP maintained that the words of the Israeli diplomat "are repugnant and of extreme gravity, as they question the civilian status of the child victims and insinuate that they could have been legitimate military targets, relativizing Israel's responsibility."
The entity also highlighted that, in his conversation with the radio station, the ambassador categorically denied genocide, despite the fact that in October 2026 the Independent International Commission...
AI Brief
Your highlights
The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) repudiated this Wednesday the statements of the Israeli ambassador to Chile, Peleg Lewi, whom it accused of calling into question the civilian status of Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip and of downplaying Israeli responsibility. The controversy arose after an interview with Radio Paulina, in which the diplomat was asked about the thousands of Palestinian children killed at the hands of the Israeli army. "I don't know. And who decides whether they are children or combatants?" he responded. Lewi also objected to international criticism being focused on Israel. "They are criticizing Israel. Why doesn't what happened in Syria appear here? Why is only Israel blamed for everything?" he said. "I don't know how many died and every death is horrible, but I don't believe Hamas's numbers (...) it's horrible, I blame Hamas, but who put the children up front?" he added. The Israeli ambassador to Chile, Peleg Lewi. Photo: Andres Perez/Archive.
Andres Perez In response to these statements, the PIC stated that the Israeli diplomat's words "are repugnant and of extreme gravity, as they call into question the civilian status of the child victims and suggest they could have been legitimate military targets, downplaying Israel's responsibility." The organization also noted that, in his conversation with the radio station, the ambassador categorically denied the genocide, even though in October 2026 the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory concluded that Israeli forces continue to commit genocidal acts in Gaza. The UN also "documented attacks and the deliberate killing of Palestinian children because of their identity and status as minors, classifying this persecution as a crime against humanity," the PIC explained in a statement. "The Convention on the Rights of the Child requires special protection for all persons under 18 years of age, even in armed conflicts. International humanitarian law prohibits presuming their participation in hostilities and requires verifying that they are legitimate military targets," the Palestinian center added. In light of this, the PIC demanded a public retraction from the ambassador and called on the government of José Antonio Kast "to speak out against these scandalous statements that call into question the protection of children." "Palestinian children have the same right to life as any child in the world. Their murders must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable," the organization concluded.