Anti-Semitic Tensions In Venezuela Explode With Attack On Synagogue
2 February 2009, 6:00 PM. By Camilla Rowan
Three weeks after Venezuela expelled the Israeli ambassador in protest of Israel’s attacks on Palestine, anti-semitic tensions flared up again when an armed mob burst into Caracas’ oldest synagogue and vandalized it.
The attack happened this past Friday night when about 15 armed people overcame security guards and vandalized the synagogue extensively. Holy books, including the Torah, were tossed on the floor, religious objects were shattered and the synagogue walls were graffitied with slogans like, “We don’t want murderers” and “Jews get out.” Anti-semitism has run rampant in Venezuela recently, mostly due to the wide-spread disapproval of Israel’s war with Palestine. President Hugo Chavez sided with Bolivia in taking a stance against Israel, and expelled Venezuela’s ambassador from Israel on January 6th, but Jewish leaders are furious with Chavez for what they perceive as a general attack on all people of Jewish faith.
Members of Chavez’s cabinet, like Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, have tended to use “Jewish people” and “Israel” interchangeably, as in a speech Maduro made last week where he said; “We respect the Jewish people, but we ask respect for the people of Palestine and their right to life.” This isn’t doing anything to help the tension.
Meanwhile, members of the Jewish communities in Venezuela and America have denounced the attack. Says Elias Farache, the president of Venezuela’s Jewish Association: “Never in the history of Venezuela’s Jewish community have we been the target of such an aggression. The climate is very tense. We feel threatened, intimidated, attacked.”
Others suggested that the lumping together of Israel with Judaism as a faith was an intentional move by Chavez. American Jewish Committee Executive Director, David A. Harris, said: “There are strong indications that what we are witnessing is a state-sponsored campaign of anti-Semitic persecution, spurred by Venezuela’s alliance with the Iranian regime.”
Scary. Whether or not Venezuelan Jews agree with Israel, there’s just no excuse for attacking their faith.
Armed group vandalizes Caracas’ oldest synagogue [LA Times]
Vandals Attack Venezuela Synagogue as Leaders Condemn Israel [Israel National News]
(3) 
Post Your Comment
Did you know you can now share a link, image or video?
Click to submit your own notas.
Thank you for this posting. Regardless of how one feels about the country’s current policies, lumping all people of a religion together is wrong. I don’t assume all Muslims agree with the policies and beliefs of the Taliban, or of Khameini. I don’t hold all Catholics responsible for the policies of the Catholic Church, either. People are individuals in all our crazy complexities, and thank the Universe for that. I really like your blog, too, by the way.
I think Chavez started this campaign back in ‘06 with his association with some Argentinean dude-slash Holocaust denier. Norberto Ceresole is his name (just looked it up.) About a year ago, the government stormed a Jewish elementary school or daycare, allegedly looking for guns. Yeah right. The kids have the WMDs.
All that Nutball Chavez now needs is that little black mustache and a farting problem, and his Hitler aspirations will be complete.
Anti-semitism has always been the most baffling prejudice to me. And every time it rears its ugly little head, I am grateful that the state of Israel exists and that it don’t take no shit.