Since popular protests over extreme economic inequality engulfed Chile two weeks ago, at least 19 people have been killed.
Over the course of a mere four days, more than 5,400 people have been detained by Chilean security forces, and reports of torture, sexual violence, beatings and other human rights violations abound.
In an unendearing throwback to the US-backed fascist dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet which lasted from 1973 until 1990, right-wing Chilean president, Sebastián Piñera proclaimed that "We are at war" - one of the late dictator's favourite lines - but was quickly forced to backpedal.
Reuters notes that Piñera asked for forgiveness for successive governments on both left and right that failed to act sooner to stem deep inequalities in Latin America's fifth-largest economy - a pretty rich move coming from a literal billionaire.Shortly after the protests broke out, The Independent ran an opinion piece by Benjamin Zinevich on the vibrant history of military collaboration between Chile and Israel, for which the subheading reads, "In recent years, the [Israeli army] has seemingly used a tactic of maiming Palestinian protesters rather than shooting to kill - and that's something we've seen reflected in Chile this week."
Of course, given that the Israeli army has also managed to do things such as kill 59 protesters in a single day in the Gaza Strip, it seems that tactic is somewhat flexible.
Reuters notes that Piñera asked for forgiveness for successive governments on both left and right that failed to act sooner to stem deep inequalities in Latin America's fifth-largest economy - a pretty rich move coming from a literal billionaire.Shortly after the protests broke out, The Independent ran an opinion piece by Benjamin Zinevich on the vibrant history of military collaboration between Chile and Israel, for which the subheading reads, "In recent years, the [Israeli army] has seemingly used a tactic of maiming Palestinian protesters rather than shooting to kill - and that's something we've seen reflected in Chile this week."
Of course, given that the Israeli army has also managed to do things such as kill 59 protesters in a single day in the Gaza Strip, it seems that tactic is somewhat flexible.
Zinevich reminds us that, in the Pinochet era - during which tens of thousands were detained, tortured, killed or disappeared - Israel was a primary supplier of arms to the military junta.
And yet the partnership didn't end with the fall of the dictatorship: In 2018, for example, the two countries signed an agreement pledging further cooperation in military education, training and doctrine, among other perks. Zinevich writes that, in both regions, those who are affected the most negatively by the alliance are working class and Indigenous people. READ MORE AT THE NEW ARAB.