Israeli-Venezuelan relations

On November 27, 1947, Venezuela voted for Israel's membership in the United Nations and established diplomatic relations. ^[2]

The first representative of Venezuela in Israel, Dr. Romulo Araujo, arrived in 1959/60 and was at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. ^[3] A year later, the mission was located in the Catamon area, at Rachel Imenu, 28, where she stayed until 1980. In 1962, relations were elevated and countries exchanged ambassadors. In 1960-64, the poet Vincente Gerbasi served as representative and ambassador of Venezuela. He was succeeded by Pedro Abreu, and in 1969/70, Napoleon Jimenez. In 1980, when Venezuela and many other countries decided to move their embassies outside of Jerusalem, Luis La Corte was ambassador. ^[4] In 1962, Herbashi presented a tractor from Venezuela to an Arab village. During the Six Day War, many Venezuelan Jews went to Israel to fight for Israel. ^[2]

When the UN adopted General Assembly resolution 3379 of November 10, 1975, “having established that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination”, Venezuela abstained from voting. ^{[5] The} resolution was later revoked.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres visited Caracas in January 1995 during the second Caldera administration to "strengthen ties with friendly countries and deepen cooperation in areas of mutual benefit." The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela noted that "the reception given to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peres was unprecedented." ^[6]

In 2005, the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee announced "an active Israeli embassy in Caracas and a modest but growing bilateral trade." ^[7]

Transaction F-16 (2005)

In 2005, Israel entered into an agreement with Venezuela to service and upgrade its F-16 fighters built in the US , but the Sharon administration angered the U.S. Department of State when it sold aircraft drones to China . ^[8] In October 2005, the State Department banned the Israeli-Venezuelan F-16 deal, refusing to grant export licensing permission to the Israeli government. The Jewish National Security Institute reported that the State Department is “asking” the Israeli government to terminate all military contracts with Venezuela that are related to technology received in the US and to refrain from future sales of Israeli military technology to Venezuela. ^[eight]

Lebanon Second War (2006)

In response to the Israeli Air Force airstrike on Kana on July 31, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said: "This killing of dozens of women and children has no justification." The UN and other influential countries share the blame for this attack, because their response to the Israeli military campaign in Palestine and Lebanon was “silence and omission. Venezuela has never held anti-Jewish views, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, welcomes the Jewish community and guarantees it full respect. ” ^[9]

Al Jazeera correspondent Dima Khatib said that Chavez was the first head of state to sharply condemn Israel for the Israeli-Lebanese conflict, even before the leader of any other Arab or Muslim country managed to do it. ^[10] On August 3, 2006, Chavez ordered the Chargé d'Affaires of Venezuela to Israel to return from Tel Aviv to Caracas, protesting the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese conflict. ^{[11] [12]} According to The Miami Herald, two days later in his Sunday radio program “Aló Presidente” (“Hello President”), Chavez accused Israel of “losing his mind and causing the people of Palestine and Lebanon to they constantly criticized, and reasonably criticized: the Holocaust. But this is the new Holocaust ”with the help of the US, which he called a terrorist country. He further said that the United States refused to “allow the Security Council [UN] to decide on ending the genocide that Israel is committing against the Palestinian and Lebanese people.” ^[13] In response, the Israeli government recalled its ambassador from Venezuela. ^[14] Chavez continued to repeat the comparison with the Holocaust a few days later. ^[15]

In the Arab world, Chavez’s actions and comments were widely endorsed, ^{[16] [17] [18]} Al-Ahram Weekly commented on the news and called Chavez “the most popular leader in the Arab world.” ^[19] According to the Jewish Telegraph Agency, Chavez "seeks closer strategic relations with Arab countries and Iran and becomes a key supporter of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Although it is not unusual for OPEC members to maintain relations, political analyst Carlos Romero at Central University Venezuela, said that "since the founding of Israel, Venezuela has maintained a balance between its interests in Israel and the Arab countries. Chavez has violated this." ^[20]

Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez stated on August 13, 2006 that Venezuela would not support the OPEC oil embargo in response to the Middle East crisis, but said: “We have warned and condemned the constant aggression of US foreign policy towards OPEC producers over the past two years,” who continue to "put pressure" on the oil market. ^[21] Ramirez explained the record high oil prices as “a policy of constant aggression against Venezuela, Iran” and “Gulf countries”. ^[21]

On August 25, 2006, Reuters reported that Chavez called on Israeli leaders to stand trial for genocide for murder in the Lebanese conflict. Speaking in Beijing, Chavez said that the Jewish state "did something similar or maybe worse than someone who knows than what the Nazis did." ^[22]

In August 2006, during Chavez’s visit to Syria, El Universal reported that the governments of Syria and Venezuela demanded that Israel leave the Golan Heights. ^[23]

2008

In 2008, during a clash with Colombia over her invasion of Ecuador, Chavez stated that "the Colombian government has become the Latin American Israel." At the same time, he also again criticized the IDF attacks on Palestinian militants. ^[24]

Operation in Gaza (2009)

Chavez broke off diplomatic relations with Israel and expelled the Israeli ambassador and his staff after the anti-terror operation in Gaza 2008-09, which killed some 1,200 Palestinians and injured more than 5,000. ^{[25] The} Israeli government responded by removing Venezuelan diplomats from the country. ^[26] In April 2009, Venezuela officially recognized the existence of the state of Palestine, and in September reiterated the accusation that Israel was guilty of genocide against the Palestinians, stating that “the question is not whether the Israelis want to exterminate the Palestinians. They do it openly. ” ^[27]

When asked if he recognizes Israel’s rights to live in secure and recognized borders, the President of Venezuela stated that he recognized such rights for the Israelis, saying that “I recognize Israel’s right to live, like in any other country. They all have the same rights, and this also applies to the future Palestinian state. But Israel must respect this principle of self-determination with respect to the Palestinians. ” ^[27]

After breaking diplomatic relations with Israel in January, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in September that if Spain agrees, it will represent the interests of Venezuela in Israel. ^[28]

2010

At a rally in June 2010, Chavez said that “Israel is financing the Venezuelan opposition. There are even groups of Israeli terrorists from Mossad who are harassing me and trying to kill me. ” In response, AJC Executive Director David Harris said: "These baseless accusations by President Chavez are directly dangerous and are used by him to support his own political position." In the same speech, Chavez called Israel a “terrorist and murderous state,” ^{[29] [30] [31]} and cursed him, saying: “I take this opportunity to again condemn the State of Israel from the day of my soul: Damn the State of Israel! Damn the terrorists and the killers! ” ^[32]

During Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s visit to Venezuela in June 2010, Chavez accused Israel of being the “killer hand of the United States” and that “one day the state of the genocide of Israel will be put in place.” ^[33]

2012

Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledesma attended a conference of mayors of capitals in Jerusalem and stated in an interview with the Yediot Ahronot newspaper that he was deep. relations between his country and the Jewish state can be restored after Chavez leaves his post. ^[34]

2016

In 2016, a diplomatic scandal broke out at the UN when Venezuelan ambassador to this organization Rafael Ramirez stated that “Israel is looking for a final solution to the Palestinian issue,” comparing Israel with Nazi Germany . In response, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dani Danone, called it "overt anti-Semitism." ^[35] Later, Ramirez called Danone and apologized for his words, however, Danone demanded a public apology. Representatives of Israel, the USA, Great Britain and France reacted extremely negatively to the words of the Venezuelan ambassador. ^[36]

2017

At the beginning of the year, after the initial refusal, after pressure from the Jewish agency “Sokhnut”, the Israeli government allowed, including for humanitarian purposes, the repatriation of nine Venezuelans who converted to Judaism to Israel. ^[37]

In March 2017, after the resumption of the deep. relations of Israel with Nicaragua , negotiations began on the restoration of deep. relations with Venezuela, interrupted in early 2009. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delsey Rodriguez met with leaders of the country's Jewish community and told them about plans to restore relations with Israel. Currently, the Jewish community of Venezuela is about 9,000 people - during the reign of the presidents Chavez and Maduro, it was reduced by three times. ^[38] After numerous press reports, the Israeli Foreign Ministry made a statement that relations between the two countries would not be restored at present, although the Israeli Foreign Ministry itself would not oppose such a development of events if the opportunity and favorable conditions presented itself. ^[39]

2018

In October, a delegation of Venezuelan citizens arrived in Jerusalem , including government officials, businessmen, ordinary citizens, and one of the leaders of the Catholics of this South American country. The purpose of their visit is "to apologize to the Jews and ask to lift the curse that fell on their country after Hugo Chavez cursed Israel." ^[40] In 2010, after the interception of the Mavi Marmara ship, the Venezuelan President Chávez declared: “From the bottom of my heart, with all my gut, I tell the state of Israel - damn you.” Shortly afterwards, Chavez was diagnosed with colon cancer, from which he died three years later. To remove the curse, the delegation turned to Rabbi Daniel Beaton, who lives in Jerusalem, who had good relations with Chavez in the early years of his reign. ^[41]

2019

In January 2019, Israel joined the Western countries and supported the protest leader in Venezuela, Juan Guaido , recognizing him as the country's president. ^[42] Guaido, in turn, thanked Netanyahu for his support ^[43] and promised to consider returning the ambassadors, who were recalled in 2009 at the initiative of Hugo Chavez. ^[44]