Bolivia Moves To Restore Diplomatic Relations With Israel in Major Foreign-Policy Shift

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia's new conservative government announced Tuesday that it will restore formal diplomatic relations with Israel, signaling a notable realignment in the country's foreign policy after years of tense ties.

The Bolivian foreign ministry said Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo will meet Israel’s foreign minister in Washington later Tuesday to discuss reestablishing bilateral relations that were severed two years ago in protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Officials in La Paz framed the move as part of a broader strategy under conservative President Rodrigo Paz to "rebuild Bolivia's international prestige, open new economic opportunities and strengthen alliances that directly benefit the country and our citizens abroad." As part of that pivot, the government eased visa restrictions for U.S. and Israeli travelers last month.

Diplomatic Context

Aramayo is on a whirlwind visit to Washington for meetings with U.S. officials as the Paz administration seeks to thaw long-frosty relations with the United States and reverse nearly two decades of hard-line, anti-Western policies pursued under the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. During MAS rule, Bolivia cultivated closer ties with China, Russia and Venezuela and at times pursued an oppositional stance toward Israel and the U.S.

In recent years, Bolivia’s relations with Israel have fluctuated: former President Evo Morales expelled Israel’s ambassador early in his tenure and aligned with nations hostile to U.S. and Israeli policies; a 2019 political crisis briefly brought a right-wing interim government that restored ties with Washington and Jerusalem; MAS returned to power in 2020 under President Luis Arce, and in 2023 cut ties with Israel again over its actions in Gaza.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, thanked Bolivia for easing Israeli visa restrictions and said he had spoken with President Paz after the Oct. 19 election to express "Israel’s desire to open a new chapter" in bilateral relations.

Regional Reaction

Several other Latin American countries moved to recall ambassadors or downgrade relations with Israel during the Gaza war; some governments also joined South Africa in bringing a case accusing Israel of genocide before the International Court of Justice.

This policy shift in La Paz reflects broader regional and domestic recalibrations, as the new government balances international outreach with the legacy of deeply polarizing politics at home.

Associated Press reporting contributed to this article.