Venezuela and Israel trade diplomatic blows

Venezuela and Israel trade diplomatic blows

Venezuela recalled its charge d'affaires to Israel last week, prompting Israel to withdraw its ambassador to Caracas on Monday.

Chavez recently expressed his support for Israel's arch-foe, Iran.

In a televised speech, Mr Chavez said he had "no interest in maintaining diplomatic relations, or offices, or businesses, or anything with a state like Israel".

Chavez rounded on Israel at the weekend, accusing the Jewish state of committing a "new Holocaust".

"Israel has gone mad. It's attacking, doing the same thing to the Palestinian and Lebanese people that they have criticised - and with reason - the Holocaust. But this is a new Holocaust."

The Venezuelan president has also angered Israel by showing support for Iran, which backs Hezbollah and has called for Israel's annihilation.

During a visit to Tehran at the end of last month, Mr Chavez said Venezuela would "stand by Iran at any time and under any condition".

Israel said it had withdrawn its ambassador to Venezuela "as an act of protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela and in light of his wild slurs against the State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".

ADL: Chavez comparison of IDF and Hitler is outrageous

The Anti-Defamation League has condemned as "outrageous" statements by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez comparing Israel's military offensive against Hezbollah to the actions of Hitler during the Holocaust, and said Chavez' remarks could be used to justify violence against Jews in Venezuela, reports the Tel Aviv based daily Ha'aretz.

"Clearly, President Chavez needs a reality check when it comes to the Middle East conflict," said Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham H. Foxman.

"It is outrageous for him to suggest that Israel, the home of the Jewish people, is behaving like Nazis. Need we remind Mr. Chavez that the State of Israel, which arose out of the ashes of the Holocaust, once again is fighting to defend itself against an implacable enemy whose goal is the destruction of the Jewish State?"

Israel Monday recalled its ambassador to Caracas following Chavez' comments.

In a letter to Chavez, the ADL said "We are deeply concerned that statements demonizing Israel and anti-Semitism cloaked in anti-Zionist terms may be used by others to justify violence against Jews, wherever they live, including in your own country of Venezuela."

On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said: “We have recalled our ambassador to Caracas for consultations."

"We are concerned at the attitude of Venezuela," Regev said. "They have allied themselves with the most extreme elements in the region."

Regev said Israel did not appreciate Chavez's allying himself with views similar to those of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for the destruction of Israel.

"We have a Venezuelan president who embraces the Iranian leader who just a couple of days ago called for Israel to be wiped off the map," said Regev.