SANTIAGO, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Chile's Palestinian community, the largest outside the Middle East, is a strong force in the Andean nation, involved in local politics, culture and soccer. Now it's making Chile one of the loudest regional voices criticizing Israel over its military action in Gaza. In a recent mass, Abed invited members from Chile's Muslim community and the Palestinian ambassador; keffiyehs, hijabs and Palestinian flags were sprinkled throughout the pews. The prominence of the Palestinian community has sparked strong support from other groups in Chile. "The Palestinian community (here) activates whenever there's aggressions."

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Persons: SANTIAGO, Israel, Gabriel Boric, Boric, Joe Biden, Claudia Yarur, Yarur, Georges Abed, Abed, Vera Baboun, Rafael Torres, Torres, Felipe Barria, Barria, there's, Alexander Villegas, Claudia Parsons Organizations: White, Palestinian Social Club, Palestino FC, San Jorge Cathedral, U.S, West Bank, FC, Thomson Locations: Chile, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Washington, Santiago, Palestinian, Ottoman Empire, Israel, Chilean, Syrian, San Jorge, Patronato, hijabs, Bethlehem, South America, Argentina, Brazil, Nazi, America, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia