Bolivia has broken off diplomatic ties with Israel due to its continuing air strikes into the Gaza Strip.

"Due to these grave actions trampling on life and humanity, Bolivia is breaking off diplomatic ties with Israel," President Evo Morales said at a meeting with diplomats Wednesday in La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital.

Morales' declaration comes a few days after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador in Caracas.

The Bolivian president said he will request the International Criminal Court (ICC) to file genocide charges against Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Morales also called on the international community to strongly condemn the Israeli raids and demanded that the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Peres be withdrawn.

On Tuesday, Morales met with an Iranian delegation headed by Cooperation Minister Mohammad Abbasi.

Abbasi said the main aim of his visit was to prepare a joint statement with Bolivia against Israel over the latter's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The ongoing offensive, which began late December, has killed some 1,023 Palestinians in the coastal strip.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2009)