Israel–Venezuela relations

Israel-Venezuela relations were historically strong. Relations soured in 2006, relating to President Hugo Chávez's convictions regarding the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, and partly due to Hugo Chávez's foreign policy relating to Iran and Israel's political opposition to it.

Historical Israel-Venezuela relations

Venezuela voted in favor of Israeli membership in the United Nations on November 27, 1947 and established diplomatic ties. During the Six-Day War many Venezuelan Jews went to Israel to fight for Israel.Krusch, David. [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/venezuela.html The Virtual Jewish History Tour: Venezuela.] Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Accessed 13 August 2006.]

When the United Nations passed General Assembly Resolution 3379 on November 10, 1975, "determin [ing] that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination", Venezuela abstained. [ [http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/a06f2943c226015c85256c40005d359c/761c1063530766a7052566a2005b74d1!OpenDocument Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 3379 (XXX). Elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.] United Nations, 10 November 1975. Accessed 13 August 2006.] The resolution was later revoked.Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres visited Caracas in January 1995, during the second Caldera administration, to "cement ties with friendly countries, and to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual benefit". Venezuela's Foreign Minister noted that "The reception that was given for Foreign Minister Peres was unprecedented." [ [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Foreign%20Relations/Israels%20Foreign%20Relations%20since%201947/1995-1996/Foreign%20Ministry%20Statement%20on%20visit%20of%20Foreign%20Min Foreign Ministry Statement on visit of Foreign Minister Peres to Venezuela and Argentina.] Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 15:1995–1996, 15 January 1995. Accessed 13 August 2006.]

2002 Venezuelan coup attempt

On April 11, Chávez was briefly ousted during the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002, and businessman and Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce ("Fedecámaras") president Pedro Carmona was installed as interim President. The pro-Chávez Presidential Guard eventually retook the Miraflores presidential palace without firing a shot and the Carmona government failed.

WorldPress.org reprinted a "Proceso" liberal newsmagazine report claiming a high-level military source said Isaac Pérez Recao participated in, and helped finance, the coup against Chávez, and controlled a "right-wing extremist" group that was "well armed ... under the operations command of Rear Adm. Carlos Molina Tamayo" who was put in charge of Carmona’s military ministry. The article says Recao's group "was connected to a security company owned by former Mossad agents", [http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/581.cfm Back, by Popular Demand? How Venezuela's Hugo Chávez Got a Second Chance.] "World Press Review", July 2002 (VOL. 49, No. 7). Accessed April 3 2008.] and that Marcelo Sarabia, Carmona's bodyguard, was linked to several security organizations, one of which was one run by Mossad. The Israeli embassy in Venezuela denied that Recao ever worked for either the Israeli embassy or Mossad. [ [http://www.vheadline.com/printer_news.asp?id=6303 The Israeli Embassy in Caracas denies knowledge of Isaac Perez Recao.] Vheadline.com, May 2, 2002. Accessed August 12, 2005.]

Znet reports that Chávez said the Secretary General of OPEC, Venezuelan Alí Rodríguez, warned Chávez over a month before the attempted coup d'état that Libya and Iraq planned to call for an oil embargo against the United States in retaliation for its support for Israel, and that the U.S. was going to try to replace Chávez with a ruler who would break the embargo before it could begin. Rodríguez went on to become the president of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), and served as the Venezuelan Foreign Minister. [Palast, Greg. [http://zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=1610 Opec Chief Warned Chavez About Coup.] "Znet", May 13 2002. Accessed April 3 2008.]

According to the Stephen Roth Institute, the newspaper "Ultimas Noticias" accused Mossad of complicity in the coup, and Venezolana de Televisión claimed that Carmona was "going to rule together with the Jews". [http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/asw2002-3/venezuela.htm Annual Report 2002-3: Venezuela.] Stephen Roth Institute. Accessed August 11, 2006.] Deputy Angel Landaeta, from the left-wing Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) founded by Chávez, accused Pedro Carmona in the political committee of the National Assembly on May 2, of having intended a "Sharon operation", in order to do "what the Jews are doing in Palestine".

2005 F-16 deal

In 2005, the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee reported "an active Israeli embassy in Caracas and modest but growing bilateral trade."Harris, David A. [http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=845459&ct=1519343 Letter from Caracas.] American Jewish Committee, 20 October 2005. Accessed April 3 2008. ]

In 2005, Israel had an agreement with Venezuela to service and upgrade its U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets, but the Sharon administration angered the U.S. State Department when it sold U.S.-built aerial drones to China. [http://www.jinsa.org/articles/articles.html/function/view/categoryid/155/documentid/3213/history/3,2360,658,155,3213 U.S.-Israel Defense Relations on Mend But New American Veto Policy Crimps Israeli Arms Sales.] JINSA: Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, November 10, 2005. Accessed August 13, 2006.] According to journalist Alessandro Parma of Voltairenet.org, "The arms sale to China that upset the Americans so much had been for a sophisticated early-warning aircraft system called Phalcon. The repair of the relatively old Venezuelan F-16 fighters is quite simple by comparison."Parma, Alessandro. [http://www.voltairenet.org/article130164.html U.S. Continues to Block Venezuelan Defense Development.] Voltairenet.org, October 26, 2005. Accessed on August 11, 2006.] In October 2005, the State Department prevented the Israeli-Venezuelan F-16 deal by refusing to grant export licensing approval to the Israeli government. JINSA reported that the State Department "request [ed] " the Israeli government end all military contracts with Venezuela that involved U.S.-derived technology and refrain from future sales of Israeli military technology to Venezuela. Parma says that the United States Defense Department responded on October 21 by saying, "Israel asked for Washington’s green light over the contract", to which Washington said no.

Middle East events affecting relations

2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

On August 3, 2006 Chávez ordered the Venezuelan charge d'affaires to Israel to return from Tel Aviv to Caracas, protesting the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The Israeli government responded by recalling the Israeli ambassador to Venezuela. [ [http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/08/09/en_pol_art_09A762277.shtml Israel is not informed about Venezuela's plans to break off relations.] "El Universal", August 9, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] [ [http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=747797&contrassID=Cd=1 ADL: Chavez comparison of IDF and Hitler is outrageous.] "Haaretz service", August 8, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.]

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev responded, "As 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 and in response to the recall of the Venezuelan charge d'affaires to his country, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni decided to bring our ambassador in Venezuala back temporarily for consultations."Mather, S. [http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2035 Israel Withdraws its Ambassador for Venezuela.] VenezuelaAnalysis.com, August 8, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008. ]

In an interview with the news agency Al Jazeera in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Chávez made the first of his statements regarding Israel and the conflict, saying, "They are doing what Hitler did against the Jews."Shoer-Roth, Daniel. [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15229406.htm Uproar: Chávez equates Nazis, Israelis.] MiamiHerald.com, 9 August 2006. Accessed 9 August 2006.]

According to "The Miami Herald", two days later, on his Sunday radio program, "Aló Presidente" ("Hello President"), Chávez accused Israel of "going mad and inflicting on the people of Palestine and Lebanon the same thing they have criticized, and with reason: the Holocaust. But this is a new Holocaust" with the help of the United States, which he described as a terrorist country. He went on to say that the United States refuses "to allow the [United Nations Security Council| [U.N.] Security Council] to make a decision to halt the genocide Israel is committing against the Palestinian and Lebanese people".

Dow Jones Newswires reported that, on August 10, while giving a speech in eastern Venezuela, Chávez said Venezuelans are "making a call to world leaders, for the love of God, let's halt this crazy fascist aggression against innocent people. Are we human or what are we?... I feel indignation for Israel's assault on the Palestinian people and the Lebanese people. They dropped bombs on shelters. ... It's a Holocaust that is occurring there." [ [http://news.morningstar.com/news/DJ/M08/D10/200608102229DOWJONESDJONLINE001384.html?Cat=MktDigest Venezuela President Asks International Leaders To Halt Israeli Offensive.] Dow Jones Newswire, "Morning Star", August 10 2006.]

Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said on August 13, 2006 that Venezuela would not endorse an OPEC oil embargo in response to the Middle East crisis, but did say, "What we have been warning and denouncing over the past two years is the permanent aggression of U.S. foreign policy toward OPEC producers" which continue to "pressure" the oil market. [http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0806/352440.html Venezuela Won't Push for Israel Boycott.] ABC7 News, August 13, 2006. Accessed August 13, 2006.] Ramirez attributed record high oil prices to U.S. "policy of permanent aggression toward Venezuela, Iran..." and "countries in the Persian Gulf."

In response to the Israeli airstrike of Qana, on July 31, Vice President Rangel said, "This murder of dozens of women and children has no justification whatsoever." The UN and other powerful nations shared blame for the attack because they had responded to Israel's military campaign in Palestine and Lebanon with "silence and omissions. Venezuela has never had any anti-Jewish attitudes, recognizes the existence of Israel as a state, welcomes the Jewish community and guarantees its total respect."Roundup: Latin American countries condemn Israeli brutal attack on Lebanon. "People's Daily Online", July 31, 2006. Available [http://english.people.com.cn/200607/31/eng20060731_288443.html here.] Accessed 14 August 2006.]

On August 25, 2006, "Reuters" reported that Chávez had called for Israeli leaders to face a trial for genocide over killing in the Lebanon conflict. Speaking from Beijing, Chávez said the Jewish state had "done something similar or, perhaps worse, who knows, than what the Nazis did". [ [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK303188.htm Chavez says Israeli leaders should face trial.] "Reuters", 25 August 2006. [http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=9229 Also available online here.] ]

Chávez: The Arab World and Iran

According to the "Jewish Telegraphic Agency", Chávez "is pursuing closer strategic relations with Arab countries and Iran, and is emerging as a key supporter of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Although it's not unusual for OPEC members to maintain relations, Carlos Romero, a political scientist at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, says that 'since the foundation of Israel, Venezuela has maintained equilibrium between its interests in Israel and Arab countries. Chavez has broken this'."Sreeharsha, Vinod. [http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=16973&intcategoryid=2 As Chavez cozies up to Iran, Venezuelan community shudders.] "Jewish Telegraphic Agency", 20 August 2006.]

Al Jazeera's Dima Khatib, reports that Chávez was the first head of state to harshly condemn Israel over the Israeli-Lebanon conflict, even before any Arab or Muslim country. His decision to withdraw his charge d'affairs from Tel Aviv has created a following in the Arab world so dedicated that "many [Arabs] declare they are 'ready to die for' Chavez." Khatib says that “The sure thing is that in the mind of millions of Arabs, Chavez is now in the same league as Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, and other ‘heroic’ Arab figures.”Khatib, Dima. [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0393C044-9D53-43FB-9B2F-3F15DF88AF91.htm Winning Arab hearts and minds.] "Al Jazeera", 18 August 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.]

CNSNews says that critics of Israel, many of them in the Arab world, hailed Chávez in his dealings with Israel.Goodenough, Patrick. [http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200608%5CINT20060807a.html Critics of Israel Hail Hugo Chavez.] CNSNews.com, 7 August 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] "Al-Ahram Weekly" commented, "it was somehow ironic that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, following his attack on Israel and the recalling of his ambassador to Tel Aviv, emerged as the most popular leader within the Arab world". [ [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/807/re81.htm Resounding failure.] "Al-Ahram", 10–16 August 2006 Issue No. 807. Accessed April 3 2008.] The Syrian communist party urged Arab governments to "follow the example of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez". [ [http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/August/middleeast_August129.xml&section=middleeast&col= Syrian communists urge Arab leaders to copy Venezuela’s protest against Israel.] "Khaleej Times", August 4, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] According to CNSNews, the vice-chairman of Hezbollah's political council, Mahmoud Komati, called Chávez's actions an example for "revolutionaries", and a "London, left-wing lawmaker" said that Chávez was a "real leader of the Arab people".

According to "U.S. News & World Report", U.S. government officials say the Chávez administration allows alleged terrorist organizations to operate within Venezuela's borders, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya. U.S. officials also allege that the Venezuelan government is knowingly providing identity documents to these organizations. The Venezuelan government denies these allegations. [Robinson, Linda. [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/031006/6venezuela.htm "Terror Close to Home"] . "US News and World Report", October 6 2003. Accessed November 4 2005.]

In August 2006, Venezuela was actively seeking the candidacy of non-permanent UN Security Council seat. In the final contest between Guatemala and Venezuela, Guatemala's candidacy was backed by the United States while Venezuela was courting Africa, the Arab League and Russia. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5221468.stm Chavez hails Russian arms deals.] BBC News, July 27, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] [Morsbach, Greg. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5205770.stm Chavez tour piques US interest.] BBC News, July 24 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] When submitting Venezuela's candidacy to the Arab League members, "El Universal" reports that a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Venezuela "will support our Arab fellows against war and incursion of foreign countries". [ [http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/08/24/en_pol_art_24A770553.shtml Venezuela approaches Arab League.] "El Universal", 24 August 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] In the end, the compromise candidate was the Panama. [ [http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2040 Venezuela and Guatemala Compromise on UN Security Council Seat: Panama | venezuelanalysis.com ] ]

In August, 2006, during Chávez's visit to Syria, "El Universal" reported that the Governments of Syria and Venezuela demanded that Israel retire from the Golan Heights. [ [http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/08/31/en_pol_art_31A772965.shtml Syria, Venezuela denounces US "double-standard policy".] "El Universal", 31 August 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.]

In 2008, during the spat with Colombia over the latter's intrusion into Ecuador, Hugo Chavez said "the Colombian government has become the Israel of Latin America." In doing so he also reiterated his criticism of the Israel Defense Forces' strikes on Palestinian militants. In response, "Israel was considering downgrading its relations with Venezuela in light of the extremist anti-Israel line taken by the country's government under President Hugo Chavez." The latter were said to be "concerned about the growing alliance between Chavez and his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad." However, highly-placed source in Jerusalem says only preliminary talks have been held on the issue and no decision has been made. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/960284.html Chavez: Colombia has become the Israel of Latin America - Haaretz - Israel News ] ]

Iran and Libya

Chávez paid a two-day visit to Iran in July 2006. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206204,00.html Venezuela's Chavez, Iran's Ahmadinejad Pledge Mutual Support.] "Associated Press", Fox News, July 29 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] On Chávez's birthday, July 28, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented Chávez with Iran's highest honor for "supporting Tehran in its nuclear standoff with the international community". [Karimi, Nasser. [http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8J6NURG0&show_article=1 Hugo Chavez receives Iran's highest honor.] "Associated Press", Breitbart.com, July 30, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.] Prior to arriving in Iran, Chávez met with Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi who presented Chávez Libya's Prize for Human Rights. While in Libya, Chávez said the "time is right to unite and face the imperialist challenge. Like Yasser Arafat, I now have only the revolutionary's gun since the olive branch has fallen." A few days later, while in Iran, Chávez called for a jihad on American imperialism.Halvorssen, Thor. [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/903jhsjt.asp?pg=1 Hurricane Hugo.] "The Weekly Standard", August 8, 2005, Volume 010, Issue 44. Also available at [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0RMQ/is_44_10/ai_n14895831/print LookSmart.] ]

Chávez pledged that Venezuela would "stay by Iran at any time and under any condition". Ahmedinejad called Chávez a kindred spirit. "I feel I have met a brother and trench mate after meeting Chávez." Chávez said he "admired the Iranian president for 'his wisdom and strength'", saying, "We are with you and with Iran forever. As long as we remain united we will be able to defeat (U.S.) imperialism, but if we are divided they will push us aside." [Karimi, Nasser. [http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2006/07/29/1709518-ap.html Chavez, Ahmedinejad pledge mutual support.] "Canoe Network", July 29, 2006.] [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206204,00.html Chavez, Ahmedinejad pledge mutual support.] Fox News, July 29, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.]

"Reuters" reported that Chávez told a crowd at the University of Tehran, "If the U.S. empire succeeds in consolidating its dominance, then humankind has no future. Therefore, we have to save humankind and put an end to the U.S. empire." The reports adds that Chávez criticized Israel and described the 2006 Lebanon conflict as "fascist and terrorist [ic] ". Decorating Chávez with the "Higher Medal of the Islamic Republic of Iran", Ahmadinejad said, "Mr. Chávez is my brother, he is a friend of the Iranian nation and the people seeking freedom around the world. He works perpetually against the dominant system. He is a worker of God and servant of the people." [ [http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/07/31/en_pol_art_31A756133.shtml Chávez decorated in Iran; initials cooperation pacts.] "El Universal", July 31, 2006. Accessed April 3 2008.]

See also

* History of the Jews in Venezuela
* List of Venezuelan Jews
* Foreign policy of Hugo Chávez

Notes