UN Palestinian Rights Committee 83d ago

Sami Aliss Saba, addressing the UN Palestinian Rights Committee - Civil Society Consultations in Santiago, Chile (12 November 2025), speaks from the perspective of the Arab Bolivian community, describing himself as a “child of migrants” and explaining that, although their migration is generations old, “the sense of belonging and of going for that cause has always been Palestine.” He places the community within a broader South American story, saying Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese in Bolivia share roots across the continent and have long been integrated into public life. At the same time, he says the community has become “very dispersed” and is now working to rebuild itself through “activities and institutions” so it can once again become “this Arab community, a community that wishes to become even stronger.” He argues that the Palestinian cause must move beyond symbolism and sympathy toward action grounded in law and accountability. “We believe that the solution is indeed implementation of international law,” he says, stressing that Palestine is not a partisan issue but “a huge cause” and “a fair cause.” He warns that “what happens today to Palestine can happen to anyone tomorrow,” framing the issue as a test of international rights everywhere. Ending on identity and responsibility, he says the Bolivian Palestinian community feels fully part of Bolivia while remaining deeply connected to Palestine: “We form part of the Bolivian society. We feel Bolivian, but fully identify as Palestinians,” and closes with the line, “where our shadow falls, there will be Palestine.” More details: https://www.un.org/unispal/engagement-with-latin-american-civil-society-palestinian-diaspora/