Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia condemn Israel's massacres in Gaza
Dozens of protesters rallied outside the Israeli embassy in Caracas on December 28, in opposition to what one speaker referred to as “genocide” by the Israeli “occupation forces”. The protests will continue in front of the embassy, according to a rally organiser, Hindu Anderi. Anderi, a Palestinian human rights activist, thanked the Venezuelan government for its position on the conflict, but demanded concrete action, saying “solidarity needs to mean taking measures that will affect Israel economically and politically, because otherwise the condition of the Palestinian people will not change”.
Statement by the Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs
December 27, 2008 – The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, on behalf of the Bolivarian government, and as spokesperson of the Venezuelan people, wants to express his deep indignation at the criminal attack by Israel perpetrated against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
In this sense, the Bolivarian government expresses its solidarity with the Palestinian people and raises its voice before the international community in order to launch a massive rejection campaign of these terrible and violent actions; through which [the Israel government] tries to eliminate the life expectancy of an entire people.
The only government of the world that has been an accessory to this attack has been the US government. And the statements issued by its spokesperson, Gordon Johndroe, are astonishing, since he said the only way to stop violence in the region is by stopping attacks against Israel.
This action could be the invariable "hallmark" of the criminal administration of the outgoing government of the United States; a dying term of office full of violence, which is known worldwide for its persistent disrespect of human rights.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela calls on those countries loving peace and justice to raise their protesting voices against this aggression. It also urges the United Nations Organisation to exert its authority and impose the numerous resolutions adopted in favour of the Palestinian people and against the state violence practiced by Israel government. This is the only way to guarantee a lasting peace and the end of these [attacks], which are absolutely against the United Nations Charter and other international regulations.
Cuba condemns Israel's bloodshed in Gaza
Havana, December 28, 2008 (Prensa Latina) – Cuba has strongly condemned Israel's massive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip that have left more than 200 Palestinians dead and hundreds of other wounded.
In a statement issued in Havana, the Cuban revolutionary government called Israel's military operation “criminal'', terming it as "the bloodiest attack Israel has ever launched against the Palestinian people".
The text notes such air raids are taking place amidst the illegal blockade the Israel government has enforced on the Gaza Strip over the last 18 months, with the aim of Palestinians, including children, women and elderly, to surrender by hunger and disease.
“Cuba strongly condemns this genocidal act by the Israeli government which violates the main principles of international law and the United National Charter'', added the text.
“The Cuban government also urges the international community to condemn the massacre and to request an immediate end for the attacks against the Palestinian civil population. Cuba reiterates its unswerving solidarity and support for the heroic and long-suffering Palestinian people.''
Bolivia denounces Israeli air strikes
The Bolivian government strongly condemned the Israeli air strikes of Palestinian territory of Gaza, which have killed at least 360 Palestinian civilians and soldiers, and injured 1000 others.
"These attacks ... killed civilians, under the excuse of responding to some militia attacks, and also they have as a military target civilian infrastructure, like universities," said a statement released by the Bolivian
Foreign Ministry.
The statement said the successive Israeli air strikes against civilians in the Gaza Strip were "crimes" and the attacks "represent a severe and massive violation of the International Humanitarian Law."
It is unacceptable in this era of integration and dialogue to launch violent attacks against civilians, said Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca, adding that the issue requires the recognition of the right of the Palestine state to exist and to have its own territory.
He also said these Israeli raids against the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory of 360 square kilometers with 1.5 million people, are extremely grave.
Bolivian President Evo Morales demanded an immediate cease of the Israeli aggressive actions against the Palestinian people.
Bolivia also requested the United Nations and the UN Security Council to adopt a strong position of condemnation against Israel and to urge Israel to give up any military solutions.|
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Bolivarian Government to Undertake Humanitarian Actions in Gaza Strip |
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The Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs Nicolas Maduro announced that the Bolivarian government will establish an airlift to send humanitarian aid to thousand Palestinian victims affected by Israel’s military raid on the Gaza Strip. During an event for the Simón Bolívar campaign that took place on Monday in the Teresa Carreño Theater, in Caracas, Maduro announced that “the Venezuelan government has decided to start a humanitarian airlift, together with the Arab and Muslim community and other Latin American countries, to supply medicines, food, drinking water, and milk, among other items.” In this sense, the Venezuelan foreign affairs minister said that the Venezuelan State is establishing contact with different humanitarian organizations of the world, as well as other governments in the Middle East, to help the Palestinian people. The Bolivarian government issued a press release to express its “solidarity with the Palestinian people,” and its “deep indignation” at “the Israel’s criminal attack against Gaza.” It also urged “the United Nations Organization to exert its authority and apply the numerous resolutions adopted in favor of the Palestinian people and against the state violence practiced by the government of Israel.” Venezuela took its stand and expressed that “this is the only way to guarantee a lasting peace and the end of these facts, which are absolutely against the United Nations Charter and other international norms.” |
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Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs / January 6, 2009 |
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Venezuela expels Israeli ambassador over Gaza
By FABIOLA SANCHEZ – January 6, 2009CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador on Tuesday to protest Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
President Hugo Chavez has condemned the campaign in Gaza, where nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed 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 announced the decision in a statement, saying it "has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the personnel of the Israeli embassy."
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."
The foreign minister 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 has long been critical of the Israeli government's policies in the Middle East and has supported the Palestinians' stance in the conflict.
Nasrallah: Arabs have much to learn from Chavez
Nasrallah: Arabs have much to learn from Chavez
Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:51:55 GMT
Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, dubbed as the
most popular leader in the Arab world, addressed a crowd of Lebanese
supporters in a videoconference on January 07, 2008. The following is
part of his speech.
The brutal truth, the truth of the brutality and hostility and racism
of Israel should be an additional motive to continue our refusal to
recognize the Zionist entity.
My dear brothers and sisters,
Cutting relations with Israel and halting any normalization of ties
with Israel and describing the appropriate massacres it has committed
in Gaza today is the easiest thing we can do as our duty.
This is the easiest thing that the leaders and the people of the
region can do. Yesterday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced
that he would expel the Israeli ambassador in Venezuela. He, of
course, did this in order to show his support for the Palestinians.
Venezuela is very close to America, it is a neighbor of America. This
is Chavez. He did this because of his humanity, his sense of
revolution and, in this way, he dealt a severe blow to those who are
now hosting the ambassadors of Israel in their capitals and do not
have enough courage to even think about telling them to leave.
Today, Arab leaders need to take lessons from this Latin American
leader. They have to learn how to show support for the people of
Palestine.
My dear brothers and sisters,
This criminal entity must be punished for the murders it is committing
and should not be rewarded. This entity must not be given benefits
after committing so many crimes in Gaza and after killing so many
people, women and children.
I assure you that the people of our Ummah will punish this entity and
will punish the leaders of this entity because of the crimes they have
committed. These people, these leaders have always taken Israeli acts
lightly. The people of this region cannot forgive Israel and the
responsibility of Arab governments today is to stand side by side with
the people and the resistance in Palestine and to refrain from playing
a role of mediation between the Palestinians and the occupiers.
Arab leaders must help the resistance to achieve its aims, to stop the
military campaign and to lift the siege and must not put pressure on
the resistance to accept the humiliating Israeli conditions.
Yesterday, an Egyptian official said something interesting. He asked
'Does the Security Council need more than 650 martyrs and more than
2,500 wounded to make its decision and act in a responsible manner?'
These are nice words to hear and I would like to ask this Egyptian
official whether the Egyptian regime needs more than 650 martyrs and
more than 2,500 people wounded before it permanently opens the Rafah
border crossing to help the people of Gaza stand with perseverance and
achieve victory? The same question that you ask from the Security
Council, I am asking you. I am here talking to the Egyptian official.
What is required from Egypt is only to open the border crossing, not
to declare war. I was told by some of my colleagues yesterday that a
group of Egyptian lawyers, who are loyal to the Egyptian regime, have
actually filed a lawsuit against me personally. They filed a lawsuit
at the International Court of Justice because of my speech on the
first night of the commemoration of Ashura when I called on the
Egyptian leadership to open the Rafah border crossing and called on
the Egyptian people and the Egyptian army to pressure the Egyptian
regime to take a positive step. They considered what I said as unjust
and as a call for a revolution and the toppling of the Egyptian
regime.
It was only a call to open the Rafah border crossing but, anyway, I am
proud of the call I made. I am proud that this lawsuit was filed
against me, especially because it came from those who did not take any
steps after all these Israeli massacres were committed in Lebanon and
in Jabaliya and in Palestine and even when Zionists brought massacres
against Egyptian soldiers, those heroic Egyptian soldiers.
When a lawsuit is filed against me because a position I took and
because I stood side by side with those oppressed and killed in Gaza,
this is something that makes me proud. I am proud that these people
filed a lawsuit against me because I took this position. I am proud of
this now and I will be proud of this in the afterlife.
But I would like to tell you very frankly we are not trying to create
hostilities. We are not enemies. We will not make hostile ties with
those who collaborated against us, the Arabs who collaborated against
us during the July 2006 war and with those who accused us and took
part in the shedding of our blood. We will not be their enemies but we
will be the enemies of those who collaborate against the people of
Gaza.
I repeat, we will be enemies of those who collaborate against Gaza and
against the people of Gaza and against the resistance of Gaza. We will
be enemies of those who take part in shedding the blood of the people
of Gaza and those who close the doors of life to the people of Gaza.
My dear brothers and sisters,
We also heard yesterday from John Bolton, a Zionist who was formerly
in the American administration and is now frustrated. John Bolton
pointed out the real aim of the Americans and the Zionists. The real
aim, as he said, was to destroy the Palestinian cause. He spoke about
separating the West Bank from Gaza. He spoke about ending the
two-state proposal by keeping the state of Israel and giving part of
the West Bank to Jordan and giving the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
I would like to tell you this is the real American-Zionist plan. All
the talk we heard previously about two states is nothing. Such claims
are mere lies and trickery because whenever they come down to actually
determining the boundaries of a Palestinian state, they do not give
the Palestinians any territories with which a country can be
established. They then say we can not establish two states and so the
solution is to abolish the Palestinian cause.
This requires, on the first level, once again a call for unity. Once
again, we stress the importance of Palestinian unity in all its forms,
all the Palestinian factions, Hamas, Fatah, the Islamic Jihad, all the
Palestinian factions must stand unified because the cause has now
become the target.
They are now making efforts to destroy this cause, but God willing it
will not happen. They are not trying to destroy the government of
Fatah, of Hamas and other factions. They are now trying to destroy the
whole Palestinian cause and so this requires, once again, for us to
stress on the necessity of supporting the resistance and perseverance
in Gaza.
My dear brothers and sisters,
The experience of the July 2006 war and the experience of the
Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip until now have provided clear
indication that a proper defense strategy is necessary, whether it be
in Palestine or Lebanon.
One of the strongest armies in the world, the Israeli army, which has
the strongest air force in the region, is incapable of achieving its
aims even though it stands against a very very small resistance force
that lacks capabilities but has strong will and operates in a very
very small geographic area.
This shows that the alternative of popular armed resistance based upon
faith, determination and popular support is the best way to confront
even the strongest armies in the world should such an army occupy the
territories of a country. This increases our conviction and influences
us on the path we are walking on.
Look my dear brothers and sisters, even the Security Council and the
decisions it has made and even the international community have proved
that they are incapable of protecting the Palestinian people in Gaza
and incapable of condemning a massacre which was committed in a school
that belongs to one of the committees of the United Nations…
How can the Security Council, which is incapable of condemning the
massacres committed by the Zionists against women and children,
protect people and how can it actually show itself to be just in
relation to a specific cause.
My dear brothers and sisters,
What is happening today concerns us all. I know that in Lebanon the
eyes of a region are on you. We are all in a sensitive stage in
history. I tell you that we do not yet know the magnitude of the plan,
the far-reaching effects of the Zionist-American plan and the
magnitude of the collaboration. We must all be vigilant at all times
as anything is possible. We must be cautious and watch the
developments.
Yesterday, as well, Olmert was quoted that today there is war against
Hamas and tomorrow there will be war against Hezbollah. I would like
to tell Olmert, the person who failed in Lebanon, that you will not be
able to destroy Hamas and you will not be able to destroy Hezbollah.
A few days ago and even a few weeks ago and even before the offensive
into Gaza and after the military offensive into Gaza, during all this
time, we have been hearing threats. One person says he wants to
destroy us in days and the other person says he wants to destroy us in
hours. I tell all these people that we cannot be weakened and we
cannot be afraid and we cannot give up and we will not give up. We
will not be afraid of your air force and threats. We will not be
terrorized by your warplanes. We are here and we are ready for any
development, event or any offensive that can be launched.
And I will not repeat what I said before. If you come to our
territories, if you come to our villages, alleys and houses, I will
respond with a simple sentence -- Zionists will discover that if they
take the step they did in the July (2006) war, the next war will be a
cakewalk compared to that war.
We are here and we will not give up our arms. Our resistance will
still be the main theme of our sacrifices and the blood of our martyrs
and I would have hoped for all those voices which were raised in
Lebanon to actually give Israel a sigh of relief. Certain people had
said Hezbollah would act against Israel. I would have preferred to
hear those Lebanese people responding to the threats of Israel against
Lebanon and against the resistance in Lebanon and against Hezbollah in
Lebanon.
Why is it that when the Zionists take any steps and display
aggression, we do not hear any responses, but when some people speak
about the chances of war, many intervene hastily and try to relieve
Israel and convince Israel that Hezbollah will not take any steps.
These voices, these responses are being heard at a time when Lebanon
is being threatened and the people in Palestine are being killed.
My dear brothers and sisters,
On the tenth day of Muharram, in the light of all these challenges, we
need the spirit, vision and wisdom of Hussein (PBUH). We also need
Hussein and Allah to accept us. We need Hussein to keep our feet firm
on the ground. We need to have the spirit of Hussein, his love for
martyrdom.
As we said during previous decades, we were with Hussein always and we
were ready to sacrifice ourselves and our souls just like our brothers
sacrifices themselves.
We were always ready to endure the hardships of the death of ours sons
and loved ones for the sake of the cause which we believe in, for the
sake of defending dignified and honorable lives. The passage of these
years have proved our firmness and that our direction is the right
direction, that our alternative is the right alternative.
We once again pay tribute to Imam Hussein's sacrifices and say that
the generations of men and women who everyday repeat the known slogan
cannot be defeated and cannot be terrorized by any threats as long as
their voices always call. We say we will answer to your request Imam
Hussein.
Israel is our enemy and the enemy of the Ummah and will always be its
enemy even if some reconcile with Israel. America created Israel and
protects Israel and is therefore the enemy of the Ummah and will
always be the enemy even if some reconcile with America.
I thank you once again for your faithful participation. We once again
would like to raise our voices to the enemy and let the enemy know
that the Ummah, and we will always be an Ummah, when asked whether "we
will be humiliated or stand against them with dignity?" The answer
will always be that our position is to never be humiliated.
Peace be upon the Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein, son of the Prophet,
peace be upon all those who gave themselves to your cause. Once again,
I pay tribute and I shall always pay tribute to you and shed light on
your memory. Peace be upon Imam Hussein and Ali, the son of Hussein
and all the children and friends of Hussein.
Calcutta News: Israeli army are cowards says Chavez
Israeli army are cowards says Chavez
Calcutta News.Net
Tuesday 6th January, 2009
Israel's Ambassador to Venezuela has been expelled amid claims his country is carrying out genocide.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the Israeli army 'cowards,' while the foreign minister alleged the Jewish state was engaged in 'state terrorism.'
In a formal announcement of the expulsion Tuesday the Venezuelan foreign minister said, 'In this tragic and indignant hour, the people of Venezuela manifest their unconditional solidarity with the heroic Palestinian people, share in the sadness that overcomes thousands of families through the loss of their loved ones, and extends to them a hand by affirming that the government of Venezuela will not rest until it sees those responsible for these criminal atrocities severely punished.'
The statement went on to say that Venezuela 'condemns strongly the flagrant violations of international law by Israel,' and 'denounces their planned utilization of state terrorism.'
In a news conference on national television, Chavez took aim at the Israeli military.
'They are cowards,' he said. 'It's as though a boxing professional were to come here and challenge you to box. Well, how courageous! How courageous is the Israeli army!'
Chavez called on Jewish people around the world to oppose 'these criminal policies of the state of Israel that recall the worst pages of the history of the 20th century.'
'With the genocide of the Palestinian people, the state of Israel will never be able to offer its people the perspective of a peace that is both necessary and long-lasting,' he said.
'The Holocaust, that is what is happening right now in Gaza. The president of Israel at this moment should be taken to the International Criminal Court together with the President of
the United States,' he said.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said he hadn't heard the statements by the Venezuelan leaders but told CNN, 'You know the regime in Venezuela has been one of the few countries in the world that gives automatic support to the Iranian extremists, and it doesn't surprise me that they have affinity with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah,'
He said the expulsion by Venezuela would not be repeated by other countries, even in the Middle East. 'I think, even in the Muslim and Arab countries, there is a fair amount of understanding for what Israel has had to do here,' he said.
Mauritania, one of three Arab League countries that has diplomatic ties with Israel, withdrew its ambassador to the country on Monday.
Venezuela last withdrew its ambassador from Israel in 2006 during the Lebanon War.
Israeli Communists Thank Hugo Chávez
From http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/cpi080109.html
Israeli Communists Sent a Message to
Hugo Chávez, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
The Israeli Communists sent a message to the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, today (Thursday, 8 January 2009). In the name of the members of Israel's Communist Party, they thanked Chávez for his courageous position vis-à-vis the murderous offensive unleashed by the Israeli army against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip 12 days ago.
In the message, the Communists of Israel emphasize: "We believe that yours is an example to imitate, not only for other Latin-American governments. It must be the position of all the states in our region, the Middle East."
The missive concludes with the following words: "We wish to also express, once again, our admiration for the work accomplished in your country and to send a greeting of solidarity with the path your nation has taken to guarantee independence and social justice."
Los comunistas israelíes enviaron un mensaje al presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez
Los comunistas israelíes enviaron hoy (jueves, 8 de enero del 2009) un mensaje al presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, por el cual le dan el agradecimiento, en nombre de los miembros del Partido Comunista de Israel, por su valiente postura frente a la asesina ofensiva desatada por el ejército israelí contra el pueblo palestino en la Franja de Gaza, hace 12 dias.
En el mensaje enfatizan los comunistas de Israel "creemos que el vuestro es un ejemplo a imitar, no solamente por otros gobiernos latinoamericanos. Esta debe ser la postura de todos los estados en nuestra region, el Medio Oriente".
La misiva finaliza con las palabras: "queremos tambien expresar, una nueva vez, nuestra admiracion por la labor cumplida en vuestro país y enviarle un saludo de solidaridad con el camino emprendido para garantizar la independencia y la justicia social".
For more information, contact: Communist Party of Israel, www.maki.org.il / info@maki.org.il. English translation by Yoshie Furuhashi
Los comunistas israelies enviaron un mensaje al Venezuela
from Communist Party of Israel
www.maki.org.il / info@maki.org.il
Los comunistas israelies enviaron un mensaje al presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Chavez
Los comunistas israelies enviaron hoy (jueves, 8 de enero del 2009) un mensaje al presidente de la Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, por el cual le dan el agradecimiento, en nombre de los miembros del Partido Comunista de Israel, por su valiente postura frente a la asesina ofensiva desatada por el ejercito israeli contra el pueblo palestino en la Franja de Gaza, hace 12 dias atras.
En el mensaje enfatizan los comunistas de Israel "creemos que el vuestro es un ejemplo a imitar, no solamente por otros gobiernos latinoamericanos. Esta debe ser la postura de todos los estados en nuestra region, el Medio Oriente".
La misiva finaliza con las palabras: "queremos tambien expresar, una nueva vez, nuestra admiracion por la labor cumplida en vuestro pais y enviarle un saludo de soludaridad con el camino emprendido para garantizar la independencia y la justicia social".
El PC de Israel y Hadash (Frente Democrático por la Paz y la igualdad) condenaron los ataques criminales de la Fuerza Aérea Israelí en la Franja de Gaza, que resultó con la muerte de más de 150 Palestinos. El PCI llama a los comunistas, a los partidos de los trabajadores y a los movimientos sociales de todo el mundo para movilizarse en contra de estos crímenes de guerra israelíes y acusar a Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak y otros líderes políticos y militares por estos flagrantes crímenes, cometidos como parte del proceso de elecciones en Israel-
El ataque militar de Israel es parte del continuo asedio hacia la Franja de Gaza. Israel está explotando los últimos momentos de la administración Bush para implementar la mortífera pero no efectiva política del imperialismo de utilizar la fuerza militar para efectuar cambios políticos. Las movilizaciones contra el ataque israelí serán en las principales ciudades de Israel, como Tel Aviv, Haifa y Nazareth. Estas son organizadas por la Coalición contra el asedio a Gaza y el Hadash.
“Sugiero que marchemos en otra dirección” dijo Don Khenin, miembro del Congreso por el Hadash y líder del PCI. “Ir en una dirección distinta significa reforzar la tregua, asegurar el cese del fuego y levantar el asedio militar que sólo sirve para unir a la población alrededor de Hamas.Entonces hay otra manera: un acuerdo real de tregua. No sólo se necesita el cese del fuego, sino que también aliviar el sufrimiento de un millón y medio de personas”Venezuela sends humanitarian aid to Gaza
http://news.smh.com.au/world/venezuela-sends-humanitarian-aid-to-gaza-20090112-7es2.html
January 12, 2009 -- Venezuela says it has sent an army Hercules C130 cargo plane bearing 12.5 tonnes of medical supplies and other materials to the besieged population of the Gaza Strip.
The plane was headed to Cairo, where the relief aid would be transferred to trucks for their overland trip to Gaza, President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday.
"We count on the support of the Egyptian government and the United Nations so this life-sustaining shipment can reach the Palestinian people," Chavez said during his "Alo Presidente" radio talk show.
Chavez once again slammed Israel for "waging a Holocaust against the Palestinian people" in their 16-day offensive on Gaza, and said a second, 80-tonne humanitarian shipment would leave Venezuela for Gaza next week.
On Saturday, Chavez accused Israel of being the "murder arm" of the United States, and accused US President George W Bush of instigating the Israeli offensive that so far has killed close to 900 people, according to Gaza emergency services.
Venezuela on Tuesday expelled Israel's ambassador to Caracas as calls mounted in Latin America for an end to the Jewish state's deadly assault on the Gaza Strip. The following day, Israel expelled Venezuela's charge d'affaires.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on Muslim countries to unite to bring about an end to Israel's "genocide" against the people of Gaza, Algeria's APS news agency reports.
Following talks with Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Ahmadinejad said that if "urgent and global measures were not taken by independent and free countries" to end Israel's deadly bombardment of Gaza, "the region, the Muslim world and humanity as a whole will be confronted with a humanitarian catastrophe on a historic scale."
Calling for coordinated political and economic sanctions against Israel, Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that Iran would offer "every support" to combat the Israeli offensive and prevent "a new genocidal stage" in its campaign against the Palestinian people.
Warning that the Muslim world and its leaders have a "historic responsibility" to act, Ahmadinejad said Islamic peoples and governments "are capable of injecting dynamism into the Palestinian intifada."
He was employing the Arabic term for uprising used to refer to the two Palestinian rebellions against Israeli occupation launched in 1987 and 2000.
Also, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the alliance has no plans for a peacekeeping force to supervise any ceasefire in Gaza.
Scheffer told an audience at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies on Sunday that NATO would be prepared to play a peacekeeping role only if there was a full-scale Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, consent from both sides and a UN mandate. He acknowledged those conditions are a long way off.
Middle East Online: Chavez turns into Palestinian hero
Portraits of Chavez carried by demonstrators in Yemen
Chavez turns into Palestinian hero
Venezuelan leader accuses Israel of being ‘murder arm’ of US, says solution to Gaza crisis is in Obama’s hand.
By Anna Pelegri - BETHLEHEM
Venezuelan flags and portraits of President Hugo Chavez have been flying high during protests in the West Bank against Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip.
The Venezuelan president's decision on January 6 to expel Israel's ambassador from Caracas -- the only country apart from Mauritania to take such a step -- has made the left-wing South American leader a hero to Palestinians.
Hamas has welcomed Chavez's "courageous decision," while Hassan Nasrallah, head of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, urged Arab states to follow the Venezuelan president's example.
Chavez on Saturday accused Israel of being the "murder arm" of the United States and said the solution to the Gaza crisis was in the hands of Barack Obama when he becomes US president later this month.
Mohammed al-Lahham, an MP for the Fatah party of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, said Chavez was "a symbol of the struggle for liberty, like Che Guevara. This distinguishes him from the world's other presidents."
His opposition to Washington, Israel's loyal ally, over the invasion of Iraq and to the Israeli offensive against Lebanon in 2006 have made Chavez a symbol for all peoples who "are resisting and fighting against occupation," he said.
Venezuelan flags and portraits of Chavez could be seen lofted by demonstrators in the West Bank towns of Bethlehem, Ramallah and Hebron during rallies last week.
Al-Jazeera television ran an interview with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro in which he slammed "the criminals who govern Israel" and who have "carried out a holocaust against Palestinians for 60 years."
"I would like to be able to give Chavez a Palestinian passport so he could become a Palestinian citizen. Then we would elect him and he would become our president," said Mahmud Zwahreh, mayor of Al-Masar, a community near Bethlehem where 8,000 people live in poverty.
"This is the right reaction" to American domination, said the mayor, who is printing out as many portraits as he can of the Venezuelan president to hand out to protesters.
"Everyone here knows about him. More and more people are coming to ask me for photos to carry during the demonstrations," Zwahreh said.
Mohammed Brijeh, who heads an action group in the Bethlehem area against the security wall between Israel and the West Bank, said: "Chavez's response is worth more than the UN's."
The United Nations "only does what Israel wants," he said.
"If only we had leaders as strong as Hugo Chavez," Brijeh said, while Zwahreh said: "We have no leader with a clear strategy and mission."
Abbas and his moderate Fatah movement have been weakened by rivalry with Hamas and by the ever-present memory of his predecessor Yasser Arafat, whose portraits still adorn many public buildings and homes.
Iyad, who runs a shop near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, has no doubt: "Chavez is the best president. He always supports the Palestinians."
"He is better than Arab leaders. Jordan and Egypt should have also expelled their ambassadors (from Israel). It is a real shame that we have no leaders like him," said Assem, another shopkeeper.UNHRC adopts Cuba-sponsored resolution against Israel
HAVANA, January 12 (acn) --bThe UN Human Rights
Council (HRC) today passed a Cuba-sponsored resolution
condemning Israel for its aggression against Gaza; Cuba presented the document as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The Islamic Conference and the
Arab and African Groups, which belong to the United Nations, backed the Cuban condemnation of Tel Aviv, which
was passed with 33 votes in favour, one
against and 13 abstentions.
Canada
opposed the document, Germany abstained, along the rest of the European Union members at the Human
Rights Council, as well as Cameroon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Japan,
South Korea and Switzerland.
The United States is not a member of the
HRC, which is made up of 45 nations.
Some
of the countries that made the majority backing the resolution included Russia, China, Brazil and
Argentina, according to a report by Prensa Latina news agency.
The document denounces the
military aggression by the Zionist regime against the Gaza Strip, which has claimed over 900 Palestinian lives;
it also has systematically violated the human rights of the Palestinian people and has destroyed the infrastructure of such territory.
The resolution also recommends the
deployment of international observers to investigate the atrocious act committed by the invading army.
The NAM had recently accused Israel at the alternate UN
headquarters in Geneva, of practicing a ruthless military
aggression against Gaza, which does not discriminate civilians from
combatants, or mosques, schools and hospitals.
Venezuela to send 80 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza
Venezuela to send 80 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza
“Next Sunday a Venezuelan plane will fly to the Palestinian territories, transporting the first 80 tons of medicine, food and water,” announced Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, during a rally organized by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) to support the Palestinian people.
Foreign Minister Maduro added that “the help will also include the Simón Bolívar Humanitarian Task Force and 30 Venezuelan doctors, who will bring life and love to the people of the Palestinian territories.”
He also urged the United Nations General Assembly to condemn Israel for their criminal attack against the defenseless people of the Gaza Strip.
“We will demand a declaration that obliges the State of Israel to cease its military attacks and withdraw its troops,” affirmed Maduro.
The Minister indicated that the UN will be asked to “protect and establish a humanitarian aid plan for the Gaza Strip to continue the aid that was interrupted by Israel’s blockade and attack.”
Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) January 9, 2009
Venezuela and other countries to meet in Lebanon
Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN) - www.aporrea.org
10/01/09 - www.aporrea.org/venezuelaexterior/n126882.html
"Estamos seguro que tanto Venezuela como el resto de los países participantes logrará crear una mayor presión para lograr un cese a esta matanza", manifestó el Vicepresidente del grupo venezolano del Parlamento Latinoamericano (Parlatino), Carolus Wimmer, en Venezolana de Televisión.
Aseguró que Venezuela presentará entre sus iniciativas una solicitud para que Egipto cese el suministro de Gas a Israel. "Solamente con la energía Israel puede seguir manejando esta guerra", precisó.
Wimmer, quien también es secretario de relaciones internacionales del Partido Comunista de Venezuela (PCV), agregó que seguirán impulsando el boicot contra los productos provenientes y realizados con dinero sionista. 'Con las ganancias de estas empresas se financian las guerras", dijo.
El diputado subrayó que esta ocasión será propicia para que surja un gran movimiento de solidaridad con el pueblo palestino y otros del Medio Oriente, que constantemente se ven amenazados por Israel.
Ahmadinejad, Chavez Call for World Summit on Gaza
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8710211224
* Ahmadinejad, Chavez Call for World Summit on Gaza *
*TEHRAN (FNA) -- January 13, 2009 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan
counterpart Hugo Chavez called for organizing a global summit to find a
resolution to end Gaza catastrophe. *
During their phone talk, the two presidents condemned Israel's slaughter
of civilians in Gaza and stressed Palestine's nation will overcome
Zionists through resistance and perseverance.
The two presidents then emphasized leaders of different countries must
hold a summit to find a way that ends the current situation in Gaza, the
Iranian students news agency reported.
Iran's President then appreciated Chavez for his revolutionary stances
towards Israel and supporting Gazans and asserted through any possible
way the Zionists must be prevented from continuing offensives against
Gaza Strip.
Venezuelan President expelled Israeli ambassador as he put it in a
"gesture of dignity" to show condemnation to Israeli massive offensives
against Gaza.
On December 27 Israel launched military operation Cast Lead on Gaza
Strip already crippled by a tight economic blockade. Palestinians death
toll has passed 800 people and the number of injured reaches 3310.
Israel has acknowledged it will continue the operation despite UN
Security Council resolution 1860 which has urged Tel Aviv to accept an
immediate ceasefire.
Meantime, Venezuela expelled Israeli ambassador to Caracas in reaction
to the massacre of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Hundreds of Basiji students here on Thursday gathered outside Venezuelan
Embassy in Tehran to thank Venezuelan government's expulsion of Zionist
regime's envoy.
The Basijis offered wreath of flower to thank Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez government for expulsion of the diplomat from its territory.
They chanted "Hero Hugo Chavez, the supporter of the oppressed," "Oh
revolutionary Chavez, thank you, thank you", "Long live freedom lover
Chavez" and "Compromising Arabs shame on you.
Some of the demonstrators too asked Arab states to take lessons from
Venezuelan government that expelled the Israeli ambassador.
ICC - war crimes in gaza
The ICC, the International Court of Justice, in the Hague, was set-up specifically to prosecute and bring to justice those responsible for the worst crimes - genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes - committed anywhere in the world. The court has been signed and ratified by over 100 countries globally, including the UK, Germany, France, Poland, Canada, Australia etc – although the US, Iran and Israel are amongst those who have signed but not yet ratified.
Notwithstanding this, if evidence is confirmed that the Israeli army deliberately or knowingly killed unarmed civilians, including hundreds of children and dozens of women – then the European Union should initiate steps to have arrest warrants issued against the two Israeli ministers responsible for the military action in Gaza, i.e. EHUD OLMERT and EHUD BARAK.
In such an eventuality, these two persons should be brought before the ICC to answer charges of war crimes against the people of Gaza. The fact that Israel has signed a comprehensive agreement of co-operation with the European Union, (the EU-Israel Association Agreement), gives the EU the right – and indeed the duty – to take action to bring any such persons suspected of war crimes before the World Court.
Palestinian Diplomat Highlights Cuba Support of his People
A cultural gala in Havana paid homage to women and children murdered by the recent Israeli aggression of the Gaza Strip. Participants strongly condemned Israel for its Massacre of the Palestinian people.
By Luis Chirino
Cuban News Agency
Luis Alberto Chirino
Palestine’s ambassador to Havana, Akram Mohammed Samhan stressed the support given by Cuba and other Latin American nations to his people following the atrocious Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, which killed over 1, 000 Palestinians, including some 500 children.
“International support of Palestine is growing, particularly in relation to humanitarian assistance. Cuba, which has historically offered its solidarity, has purchased medications for our people, despite the fact that the Caribbean nation is still recovering from the damage inflicted by three hurricanes,” said Mohammed Samhan.
“Those medications are very important for operating rooms and intensive care units in particular,” said the Palestinian ambassador in conversation with the Cuban News Agency at the end of a political and cultural gala to pay homage to the women and children murdered in Gaza by the Israeli forces.
Mohammed Samhan also underscored the solidarity expressed by Bolivia and Venezuela and described as a very revolutionary act the recent expelling of the Israeli ambassador from the South American country.
The Palestinian diplomat called for increasing international pressure on Tel-Aviv to fully open border crossings and allow the flow of humanitarian aid into Palestine. “We can not admit, that after an 18-month siege and a 22-day military aggression, Israel blocks the humanitarian aid through the border crossings, though such crossings are progressively opening now and some aid is arriving, though it is
important to keep pressuring Israel in that regards,” he pointed out.
THIS TRAGEDY IS A SHAME FOR HUMANKIND
Addressing participants at the Gala, held at the Havana-based Panorama Hotel, Fatemah Alaei, wife of Iran’s Ambassador to Cuba Mustafa Alaei, said that the world witnessed the brutal aggression by the Zionist regime against the Gaza population, which she termed a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of all human rights.
Fatemah Alaei recalled that over 1, 000 Palestinians, including 500 children were killed under the Israeli escalation, which also destroyed local infrastructure, buildings, houses, schools and humanitarian facilities.
She also denounced the use by Israeli troops of chemical weapons, like phosphorus, which are prohibited by international law. Israel and the superpowers that support that regime must face an international court, said Fatemah, who underscored the need for international support, so that the Palestinian people may set up their state in the territory of Palestine and leave in peace and prosperity as they deserve.
NO ONE WILL PREVENT PALESTINIANS FROM DECIDING THEIR FATE
The Committee of Women of the Cuban Islamic League also raised its voice during the gathering to express sorrow and indignation for the massacre unleashed by Israel against the Palestinian people.
“From Cuba we express our deepest rejection and condemnation; we denounce Israel for such a crime and those who delay the dramatic situation prevailing in the zone for the past 70 years,” said the representative of the women’s committee.
“We Cubans have also suffered from the actions of those [Washington] who support Israel, incarcerate the true fighters against terror and murder the Iraqi population. Only the joint action of all of us will let the world know what is really happening in Palestine,” concluded the representative of the Cuban Islamic League´s Women´s Committee.
During the Gala, Hadi Alaei presented a video about the reality faced by the Palestinian people over the past 61 years. Impressing Images of abuses against Palestinians by Israeli forces and of the bodies of murdered Palestinians children at the hands of the aggressors, moved participants. The video also showed images stressing the heroic resistance of Palestinians despite the occupation of their lands by Israel.
A choir of Cuban children dressed in blue and white gave the final touch to the gala with a nice song dedicated to the children of the world. The song’s lyrics were followed by participants as they paid homage to the Palestinian children killed by the Israeli forces:
“Let’s the children sing, those who live in peace and those who undergo pain;
Let’s the children sing for those who can no longer sing, for their voices have been silenced.”
Present at the Gala were members of the diplomatic community, including Iran’s ambassador to Cuba Mustafa Alaei, representatives of Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, and of the Cuban Islamic League and other personalities