08 August 2006
Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez has recalled his country's ambassador to Israel in protest against Israel's military offensive in Lebanon. The Venezuelan leader is a vocal critic of Israel’s closest ally, the United States, and has accused the Israeli government of a "genocide". The recalling of ambassador Héctor Quintero follows Chávez' expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people. On Sunday, Chávez renewed his criticism of Israel's military offensive in Lebanon, calling it a "new Holocaust." In his weekly radio and TV broadcast, the controversial Venezuelan leader said: "Israel has gone mad. They are massacring children, and no one knows how many are buried." Israel's foreign ministry rebuffed Chavez's statements on Monday. "Unfortunately, he is not known for his objectivity when it comes to the Middle East conflict," said ministry spokesman Mark Regev. "He has embraced the regional leaders who have called for the destruction of the Jewish state and I think there is a serious question as to his judgment when it comes to Middle East issues."
