09 August 2006
Venezuela's principal Jewish organization has complained about anti-Semitism by the government of president Hugo Chávez, following the president's announcement that he was withdrawing Venezuela's ambassador to Israel. Chávez has criticized Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon and compared Beirut bombings to Hitler's actions during World War II. The Confederation of Jewish Associations of Venezuela (CAIV) denounced "anti-Semitic statements" in government-backed media and the "arbitrary bias of representatives of the government ... toward one of the sides of the conflict." The statement also criticized efforts to "banalize the Holocaust" by comparing it to the current military campaign. In a TV interview last week with Qatar-based "Al Jazeera", Chávez said the Israeli military actions were an "unjustified aggression that is being carried out in the style of Hitler, in a fascist fashion." Venezuela's Communications Ministry said it was preparing a response to the CAIV's criticism.
Meanwhile, Israel is temporarily withdrawing its ambassador to Venezuela. The foreign ministry in Jerusalem said the ambassador would fly back for "consultations", adding that it was "an act of protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela and in light of his wild slurs against the state of Israel".
