Venezuelan FM Reaffirms
Rejection to Anti-Semitic Moves
Caracas - Venezuelan Foreign Minister
Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday reiterated his rejection to the recent
anti-Semitic moves in the country.
Maduro's remarks came after his meeting with David Bittan, vice
president of the Israeli Association of Venezuela (AIV) in the wake
of an intrusion by an armed group into the AIV building and a
violent attack on the oldest synagogue in Caracas.
The minister called on the 15,000-member Jewish community in
Venezuela not to believe rumors about the anti-Semitic policies of
the Venezuelan government.
Maduro said the attacks were discreditable action by the political
opposition to try to take advantage in the electoral campaigns.
Anti-Semitic sentiment seems to be on the rise in Venezuela amid the
country's diplomatic spat with Israel over its military offensive in
the Gaza Strip, which killed some 1,300 Palestinians.
An armed group of 15 men on Saturday broke into the AIV building and
destroyed Jewish symbols after overcoming the security guards.
The group also vandalized the oldest synagogue in Caracas in what
Jewish leaders called the worst attack on their community in the
country.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry ordered two Venezuelan envoys to leave
this week after Venezuela expelled on Jan. 6 all Israeli diplomats
in protest against the offensive in Gaza.
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