Venezuela Expels Israeli Ambassador

(CBS/AP)  Venezuela ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and some embassy staff on Tuesday to protest Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The decision by President Hugo Chavez, a longtime critic of U.S. and Israeli policy, to kick out the diplomats appeared to be the strongest reaction yet to the Gaza offensive by any country with ties to Israel.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry announced the move in a statement, saying it "has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the personnel of the Israeli embassy."

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 600 Palestinians in ground and air strikes. Israel launched the attacks Dec. 27 to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets into southern Israel.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said its U.N. mission is joining with other countries in demanding the Security Council "apply urgent and necessary measures to stop this invasion."

Officials could not immediately be reached at the Israeli Embassy in Caracas, which had closed by the time of the announcement.

Chavez earlier condemned the Israelis carrying out the military campaign as "murderers" and urged Jews in Venezuela to take a stand against the Israeli government.

"Now I hope that the Venezuelan Jewish community speaks out against this barbarism. Do it. Don't you strongly reject all acts of persecution?" Chavez said.

"How far will this barbarism go?" he said in an appearance on state television. "The president of Israel should be taken before an international court together with the president of the United States, if the world had any conscience."

While many countries have protested Israel's offensive, none so far has expelled the ambassador.

Mauritania, which established relations with Israel in 1999, called home its ambassador from the Jewish state on Monday.

Jordan and Egypt, the other two Arab nations with relations with Israel, summoned their Israeli ambassadors to protest the Gaza attacks, but they have resisted popular calls to expel them.

Chavez has long been critical of the Israeli government's policies in the Middle East and has supported the Palestinians' stance in the conflict.

During Israel's 2006 conflict in Lebanon, Chavez withdrew his top envoy from Israel, calling the bombings there "a new Holocaust."

In spite of its criticisms of Israel, Chavez's government has insisted it is friendly toward Jewish people.

Chavez met with Jewish leaders in August, pledging to work against anti-Semitism despite strong differences on Mideast politics.

Chavez's condemnations of Israel's offensive have grown gradually more severe in recent days.

He called on Israelis to "stand up against" their government. As for those leading the offensive in Gaza, he said, "they are cowards - bombing innocent people. What great soldiers they are, how brave the soldiers of Israel are."

Protests against the offensive have been held in Venezuela and other Latin American countries in recent days.

In Argentina, which has the third-largest Jewish population outside Israel as well as a sizable population of Arab descent, hundreds of people marched to the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires to call for an end to the offensive.

Brazil's government says it is sending 14 tons of medicine and food to the Gaza Strip. And in Bolivia, about 100 Palestinians and Arabs marched to protest the violence.

[gowhar_jamia]

Let me to tell something about the terrorist Israel`s jews. The were killed and kicked off from every corner of the world mainly by germans and begged for the land in Phalestine.Baked by the most antihumanitarian country usa they inturn tried to control the country who provided the then beggar israel the lan to take shelter

[gowhar_jamia]

I salute the Venezuelan great leader sir Hugo Chavez for expelling Israel%u2019s ambassador/embasy. Enery country of the world should take a lession from this brave step. The whole world should follow the same step and this is the only way the Terrorist Israel will refrain from doing such a henious humanitarian crime.

[mom_o_truth]

Finally A MAN WITH GUTS TAKING ACTION. BRAVO President Chavez.

[stopbsing]

"That is an awful lot of BLAH BLAH BLAH about a small man who is growing more unpopular not only in his nation but in the world at large"

What are we in American Idol now? He has to be popular? How could he be famous when most of the news network are blocking the news..correction,ignoring the news.

"Why do you report what this nutjob Chavez does? Treat him like the maladjusted third-grader he is and ignore him" - pure example of an ignorant

"But here in the states, we have freedom of speech, or so we''''re told" - agreed.

Chaves may be a small man but he has our respect. A small man with big balls. RESPECT! And yes he is more famous than some aretard that you have governing your states. Watchout Israelis..comin back atcha.

[liberty4you]

Venezuela has been putting its nose in every international matter especially since it has some oil.

But here in the states, we have freedom of speech, or so we''re told.

Hamas launched rockets because Israel deployed a Naval blockade of aid to Palestine. The Israeli leaders knew that they would launch the rockets.

This is a game of politics in Israel as in the United States based on intimidating the general public so politicians will be elected. Just ask Bill Clinton who is quoted as saying "I knew the Israeli invasion was because I wanted him to be elected."

Concerning an Israeli politician who was ironically not elected.

Now the UN school is bombed in Gaza and every UN official is crying out to Western and Arab nations to halt the conflict. The UN is a joke. Americans know this.

Israeli armed forces, stop this madness. Stop listening to your corrupt politicians. Hugo Chavez,
the Israeli intelligence in South America is thick.

Watch your back, vato.

[arifshen]

HEY OBSERVER2008 , i don`t know what you are talking about but since he is president of Venezuella i believe he smarter than you are . instead of surfing over the internet and criticizing important people go and find a important job for your self moron :)

[clovernyc]

obsever2008 is a fan club of one

That is an awful lot of BLAH BLAH BLAH about a small man who is growing more unpopular not only in his nation but in the world at large

Giving away a few barrels of discount oil to a few poor nations may be big on your gratitude list, but Chavez has managed to alienate the most powerful nation in the free world. And his list of enemies is growing.

Socialism and particularly the brand Chavez espouses is in its last gasp.

Much like your tiresome opinion of him.

[obsever2008]

Nevertheless he is also leader of a nation with phenomenal oil reserves and serious ties with has-been, mostly-dead Castro and we-wanna-rule-the-world-now Russia.
...And with China That has just lunched Venezuela''s first satellite
...And has started a coalition of nations called ALBA
... And started a solidarity program that helps ALL Caribbean nations ,selling oil at a reduced price as long as those nations use that money to help their poor
.... And is a member of a just created nation called UNASUR , which has just created a body of national defense (UNASUR is ALL South America)
...and...
...and....
To give an opinion we need to be better informed

[clovernyc]

Why do you report what this nutjob Chavez does? Treat him like the maladjusted third-grader he is and ignore him.
posted by JSmithCSA
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True, Chavez is a loud mouth weenie. It is amazing to me that his body can still support that fat head.

Nevertheless he is also leader of a nation with phenomenal oil reserves and serious ties with has-been, mostly-dead Castro and we-wanna-rule-the-world-now Russia.

That makes him a credible threat (but only if you factor in his bluster and bad breath).

[jsmithcsa]

Why do you report what this nutjob Chavez does? Treat him like the maladjusted third-grader he is and ignore him.