Palestine government salutes Venezuela's Hugo Chavez
Palestinian National Authority
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Office, Gaza
January 12, 2009
In the Name of God; the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
President Hugo Chavez,
Your Excellency, President Hugo Chavez,
We, the people of Palestine, commend your courage to speak and act upon your conscience regardless of your detractors' criticism or cowardice.
Mr. President, we have watched death rain upon our families and children in Gaza for weeks; and yet we stand proud and ready for any outcome. We are a resilient people who wish for peace but will fight rather than bow to injustice. We live and die by the codes of our forefathers – codes of honor, integrity, truth and bravery.
Throughout history, in a just conflict, there always emerges a champion, a single hero who, by his actions, embodies all the virtues the masses aspire to. You have demonstrated that you are such a man.
We have observed your commitment to the destitute and disenfranchised since you first took office. The Americas are fortunate that your presidency has not only survived but emerged as a paradigm to be emulated. You have boldly said what the world's masses feel – from speaking out against the sulphur of imperialism at the United Nations in 2006 through to the recent expulsion of the devil's minion.
Mr. President, we were eager to meet you in the summer of 2007; but unfortunately yet another blockade by the Israelis, who control our ports and borders, suspended our plans. As we began the truce which we initiated, they were already planning the destruction of our infrastructure.
The Israelis slowly and deliberately began reducing the presence of journalists and denying humanitarian groups access to Gaza over the past six months. They reduced the number of trucks bringing supplies from several thousand to a handful each month. And since they began their bombing campaign, food and fuel are scarce. In fact, only nine of 47 bakeries produce bread, only 5% of industrial operations function and wastewater pumping stations have shut down, flooding raw sewage into populated areas, farmland and the sea.
We do not know who among us will remain alive once this barbaric onslaught is ended. But we remain, as a people and a government, undeterred in our belief that justice will reign.
We can ask no more of you than you have already done – for you have proven that a nation cannot be cowed simply because it drives its own destiny, nor will a leader lose his throne for challenging imperialism. We salute the citizens of Venezuela for choosing President Chavez; and we commend you for being among the few leaders of this age who put people before politics.
I may not live to honor our commitment to meet you; but our people will not rest until they have sent a delegation to meet the man who put politics aside, spoke with honor and acted with courage.
Very Truly Yours,
Dr. Ahmed Yousef
Deputy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Former Political Advisor to the Prime Minister Ismael Hanniya
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For more on the support for the rights of the Palestinian people expressed by the governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, please click HERE.
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Carta abierta del gobierno palestino al presidente Hugo Chávez
Autoridad Nacional Palestina
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Oficina de Subdirección, Gaza
12 de enero de 2009
En el nombre de Dios, el compasivo, el misericordioso
Presidente Hugo Chávez,
Su Excelencia, presidente Hugo Chávez,
Nosotros, el pueblo de Palestina, elogiamos su valentía por hablar y actuar según su conciencia, independientemente de la crítica o la cobardía de sus detractores.
Sr. Presidente, hemos visto la lluvia de muerte sobre nuestras familias y nuestros hijos en Gaza durante semanas y a pesar de todo seguimos orgullosos y listos para afrontar cualquier consecuencia. Somos un pueblo resistente que desea la paz pero que luchará antes de rendirse ante la injusticia. Vivimos y morimos conforme a los códigos de nuestros antepasados – códigos de honor, integridad, verdad y valentía.
A lo largo de la historia, en cualquier conflicto, siempre surge un campeón, un héroe que por sus acciones encarna todas las virtudes a las que aspiran las masas. Usted ha demostrado que es de esa clase de hombres.
Hemos observado su compromiso con los pobres y marginados desde el primer día que tomó posesión de su cargo. El continente americano tiene la suerte de que su presidencia no sólo ha sobrevivido sino que además ha surgido comoun paradigma digno de ser imitado. Usted ha expresado con valentía lo que sienten los pueblos del mundo, hablando contra el imperialismo de azufre en las Naciones Unidas en 2006 y ahora con la expulsión del lacayo del diablo.
Sr. Presidente, estábamos deseosos de poder conocerlo en el verano de 2007, pero lamentablemente otro bloqueo por parte de los israelíes, que controlan nuestros puertos y fronteras, frustró nuestros planes. En cuanto iniciamos la tregua, ellos ya habían planificado la destrucción de nuestra infraestructura. Los israelíes comenzaron de manera lenta y deliberada a reducir la presencia de periodistas y a negar el acceso a Gaza de grupos humanitarios en los últimos 6 meses. Redujeron el número de camiones con suministros de varios miles asólo un puñado cada mes. Y desde que comenzó su campaña de bombardeos, los alimentos y los combustibles son escasos. De hecho, sólo 9 de 47 panaderías elaboran pan, sólo funcionan el 5% de las operaciones industriales y han cerrado las estaciones de saneamiento inundando de aguas residuales las zonas pobladas, las tierras agrícolas y el mar.
No sabemos quienes de nosotros sobreviviremos una vez que este bárbaro ataque llegue a su fin. Pero seguimos, como pueblo y como gobierno, firmes en nuestra creencia de que triunfará la justicia. No podemos pedir más de lo que usted ya ha hecho, porque usted ha demostrado que una nación no puede ser intimidada simplemente por tomar las riendas de su propio destino, ni se puede destronar a un líder por rechazar el imperialismo.
Felicitamos a los ciudadanos de Venezuela por la elección del presidente Chávez, y le felicitamos a usted por ser uno de los pocos dirigentes de esta época que pone a las personas por delante de la política.
Puede que yo no viva para honrar nuestro compromiso de visitarle; pero nuestro pueblo no descansará hasta que haya enviado una delegación para conocer al hombre que puso la política de lado, habló con honor y actuó con valentía.
Muy atentamente le saluda,
Dr. Ahmed Yousef
Adjunto del ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Ex asesor político del Primer Ministro, Ismael Hanniya
Venezuela sends second shipment of aid to Palestine
The government of Venezuela sent a second shipment of aid to the Palestinian
people in order to contribute in fighting the health crisis in the area
resulted from recent Israeli attacks.
This second humanitarian aid included 84 tons of food, medicine, blankets
and other items were sent from the Simón Bolívar International Airport in
Maiquetía, located in the state of Vargas.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro said that "the United Nations is
in charge of medical personnel and despite the fact that it has not been
done yet, the sending of Venezuelan doctors of Arabic background who wish to
help could be coordinated."
"We are going to monitor the status of the Palestinian people. All of
humanity should monitor the situation in the Palestinian territories. These
people have suffered 60 years of abuse and crimes," said Maduro.
The Foreign Minister noted that "what happened in the Gaza Strip is a
reflection of 60 years of suffering for the Palestinian people, so our
government will continue to pay attention in international organizations and
in every process that has begun to negotiate a stable peace. We will follow
negotiations to return land and the right to a free, sovereign, whole and
peaceful state to the Palestinian people."
Minister Maduro assured that Venezuela will continue to "have firm, clear
positions in the face of blackmail that some sectors of the domestic
right-wing and the international right-wing are trying to engage in
worldwide."
National Radio of Venezuela (RNV) / January 21, 2009