Ibtisam Posted January 7, 2009 By FABIOLA SANCHEZ, Associated Press Writer – Tue Jan 6, 7:46 pm ET CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela ordered expelled from the country on Tuesday in protest over the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The decision by President Hugo Chavez to kick out the diplomat appeared to be the strongest reaction yet to the Gaza offensive by any country with ties to Israel. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced the move in a statement, saying it "has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the Israeli Embassy's personnel." 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. "How far will this barbarism go?" Chavez asked on state television before the ambassador's expulsion was announced. "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." 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." Israeli diplomats could not immediately be reached for comment. The embassy in Caracas was closed, and it was unclear how the Israeli government would respond. Jewish community leader Abraham Levy, president of the Venezuelan Confederation of Israelite Associations, called the government's decision "taking the side of a terrorist group" by backing Gaza's Hamas leaders while ignoring Israel's perspective. "I deeply lament that decision made by the government, which cuts off an enormous and long tradition of friendship between the people of Israel and the people of Venezuela," Levy told The Associated Press. He said the decision leaves Venezuela's Jewish community — which numbers nearly 15,000 — "not only worried but also deeply battered" because it "attempts to demonize the state of Israel." While many countries have protested Israel's offensive, none besides Venezuela so far have 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." Relations have remained at a scaled-back level since. Chavez's condemnations of Israel's offensive in Gaza have grown gradually more severe in recent days. On Monday he called the Jewish state a "genocidal government," and on Tuesday urged Jews in Venezuela to take a stand against the Israeli government. In spite of harsh 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. Top Venezuelan officials explained Tuesday's decision speaking to cheering supporters at a Caracas mosque. Some in the crowd chanted "Gaza, hold on. The people are rising up!" Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said Venezuela declared the Israeli ambassador "persona non grata" and decided to "reduce to a minimum the representation of this embassy in Venezuela." Justice Minister Tarek El Aissami, who is of Arab descent, said "our revolution is also a revolution for a free Palestine!" Chavez accuses Israel of acting on behalf of the United States in the Mideast, and he has forged close ties with Israel's top enemies — Iran and Syria. Chavez also has used the tool of expelling an ambassador before. Last September, he kicked out U.S. envoy Patrick Duddy saying it was in solidarity with Bolivia, which also booted its U.S. ambassador, accusing him of aiding violent protests. Demonstrations against the offensive have been held in various Latin American countries in recent days. In Argentina, which has the third-largest Jewish population outside Israel, hundreds of people marched to the Israeli Embassy to call for an end to the offensive. Brazil's government, like Venezuela, has said it is sending food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip. And in Bolivia, about a hundred Palestinians and Arabs marched to protest the violence. The largest Palestine population outside of the Arab world is in Chile, lets see if they can get that ambassador kicked off too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
me Posted January 7, 2009 ^ Not in a million years. BTW, I am still waiting for the examples of real islamic states in the world today. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted January 7, 2009 Mauratania did expelled Israeli ambassador and called its ambassador from Tell Aviv. Kudos to South Korea, I love the indha yar, where is Pucca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted January 7, 2009 Denmark has summoned the Israeli ambassador in Copenhagen. "We shall summon the Israeli ambassador because it (the bombing of the clinics) should not take place," Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller told reporters on Tuesday. Jordan summons Israeli ambassador Egypt summons Israeli ambassador Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted January 7, 2009 ALLAH AKBAR for small actions. @Me Inshallah. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted January 7, 2009 South Africa summons Israeli Ambassador to the Union Buildings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted January 7, 2009 I hope, it picks up through out the day, I hope those hypocritical western democracy powers start to show with even weak gestures such as these. Nuune Turkey was threatening to take military action last night. Can't find anything on their ambassador though. What happened to Sweden, the beacon of democracy and fairness :rolleyes: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted January 7, 2009 Ibti, Turkey had military pact with Israel, I don't think they would do any steps, but they threatened diplomatic ties closed if the gaza bombanign continues, and yesterday all Israel's papers were in shock about Turkey's threat, they called Turkey to choose between Arabs, or Israel, or be fair player! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Resistance Posted January 7, 2009 As we as individuals can take small actions. I wish Ken was still mayor he would probally have called on all Londernors to strike and make the Isreali embassy pay for the cost of policing the demos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chimera Posted January 7, 2009 I feel sad for the Palestinians. Their noble quest for Statehood continues to be hi-jacked till this day by disingineous so-called 'brotherly' governments even the Turkish government with it's 'biteless protests' is only doing it for domestic votes. The Arab world is building rotating skyscrapers (architecturally speaking once considered 'fantasy'). They are building entire new cities on water but somehow they cannot defeat the Israelis? Sure the Israelis receive arms and subsidies from the west but make no mistake it's Israeli military geniuses that have developed Israel's military technology to the point where even the Americans are doing joint deals with them. It's Israeli economic geniuses that build Israel's powerfull economy. The Palestinian diaspora is said to be the most educated diasporic group in the world, why is all this potential not being used? Why don't the arabs take in 100 000 Palestinian men and women and train them as soldiers?. I know for sure they will do a better job in fighting the highly motivated Israeli soldiers than the Egyptians,Jordanians or the Syrians who all have their own countries unlike the Palestinians and therefore won't fight as hard as them. Every Palestinian government trying to represent the masses collapses because Israel controlls all their funds(which come from western donors btw). It's ridiculous that Hurricane Katrina sees the mass donation of billions of dollars from Arab countries yet the Palestinian government is at the mercy of the Israelis because nobody has the balls to back em and actually put their money where their mouth is. The Arab world needs to adopt the mentality of the Iranians and realize the west is not their friend, never has been and never will be. There looking out for their own interest which has not been the same as the Arabs since Lawrence of Arabia. Twenty Arab countries should start a synchronized nuclear bomb project with each country having it's own program. The US can't bomb or invade twenty countries at the same time so they might take out 4 or 5, your still left with 15/6 countries armed with a nuke which will act as an deterrence against the Israeli Nukes With the nuclear option out of the way, the 100 000 Palestinian soldiers with unlimited monetary support from the Arab world can now enter the land of their ancestors and permanently free it. Unlike the unmotivated armies Israel devoured in the past they will now be fighting soldiers just as - if not more - motivated than the IDF soldiers The Israelis are not a race of Supermen/women they are just highly motivated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abtigiis Posted January 7, 2009 Originally posted by Adam-Zayla: The Israelis are not a race of Supermen/women they are just highly motivated! Motivation doesnot work in the face of differential technology. you may be motivated to your chin, but if you come to face me (with my Machingun) with Dabalaab, I will make you thin ash. By the way, the Isreal's are not highly motivated as you claim. Infact, they fear death and are cowards. they were motivated when they were fighting to get land. Desperation makes people tough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
me Posted January 7, 2009 Lets replace Palestine with Somalia and see how the sentences go. Originally posted by Resistance: As we as individuals can take small actions. For Palestine or Somalia? Originally posted by Adam-Zayla: I feel sad for the Somali. Their noble quest for Statehood continues to be hi-jacked till this day by disingineous so-called 'brotherly' governments. The Arab world is building rotating skyscrapers (architecturally speaking once considered 'fantasy'). They are building entire new cities on water but somehow they cannot defeat the Ethiopian? Sure the Ethiopian receive arms and subsidies from the west but make no mistake it's Ethiopian military geniuses that is using the war on terror as a cover. The Somali diaspora is said to be the most educated diasporic group in the world, why is all this potential not being used? Why don't the arabs take in 100 000 Somali men and women and train them as soldiers?. I know for sure they will do a better job in fighting the highly motivated Ethiopian soldiers than the Egyptians,Jordanians or the Syrians who all have their own countries unlike the Somali and therefore won't fight as hard as them. Every Somali government trying to represent the masses collapses because Ethiopia/West controls all their funds(which come from western donors btw). It's ridiculous that Hurricane Katrina sees the mass donation of billions of dollars from Arab countries yet the Somali People is at the mercy of the Ethiopian because nobody has the balls to back em and actually put their money where their mouth is. The Arab world needs to adopt the mentality of the Iranians and realize the west is not their friend, never has been and never will be. There looking out for their own interest which has not been the same as the Arabs since Lawrence of Arabia. The 100 000 Somali soldiers with unlimited monetary support from the Arab world can now enter the land of their ancestors and permanently free it. Unlike the unmotivated armies Ethiopia backed by the west devoured in the past they will now be fighting soldiers just as - if not more - motivated than the EDF soldiers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Posted January 7, 2009 ^ :rolleyes: Anywho, A&T;Land for whom, Israels or Jews? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Resistance Posted January 7, 2009 Adam-Zayla , nicely put but who do think needs to start the wheel rolling ( cauase whoever does it will pay the hihgest price ) Why is it that the Arabs have to do something, how about the rest of so-called Muslims nations ( Pakistan, Indonesia ) is it not their responsibilty as well. And have the Palestines really helped themselves, they can't even unite themselves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abtigiis Posted January 7, 2009 Originally posted by Malika: ^ :rolleyes: Anywho, A&T;Land for whom, Israels or Jews? Salaams Sis, Jews. Anywho, why does the difference matter now. I mean between Jews and Israel's. That jews are a subset of Isreal's? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
