Thousands of people took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the Chilean capital over the weekend, while a group of lawyers announced plans to submit a petition to the United Nations calling for action against Israel.
The march, held under the slogan “The Resistance Continues,” drew supporters from a range of social, cultural and human rights organizations, according to organizers.
Participants gathered outside the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center before marching through central Santiago to Aviation Square in the Providencia district.
Organisers said the demonstration was intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and protest Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Chilean newspaper La Tercera reported that organizers estimated attendance at around 5,000 people.
Local media said the event was officially authorized and concluded with cultural performances, artistic activities and community events reflecting support for the Palestinian cause.
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The rally was organized by several groups, including the Coordination of Action for Palestine, alongside human rights, labour and cultural organizations.
The demonstration comes amid growing public activism in Chile related to the war in Gaza and broader calls for accountability under international law.
Separately, the advocacy group Lawyers for Palestine announced a legal initiative seeking to pressure the United Nations to take action against Israel.
Nelson Haddad, a lawyer and former diplomat involved in the initiative, said the group plans to submit a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling for procedures aimed at expelling Israel from the United Nations.
According to Chilean media reports, the initiative is supported by approximately 80,000 signatures collected by civil society organizations.
The petition argues that the United Nations should apply provisions of its charter concerning member states accused of repeatedly violating the organization’s principles.
Any proposal to suspend or expel a UN member state would require action through the organization’s established procedures, including consideration by the Security Council and the General Assembly.
Chile is home to one of the largest Palestinian diaspora communities outside the Middle East, and public support for the Palestinian cause has long been a prominent feature of the country’s political and civil society landscape.
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