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Last update - 13:53 21/01/2009
ADL: Venezuela and Bolivia sending message that they side with Hamas
By Haaretz Service
Tags: venezuela, israel news 

The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday lambasted Venezuela and Bolivia over their decision to sever diplomatic relations with Israel, calling the move "inflammatory and offensive."

The decision also sends the message that the countries' leaders side with the Islamist Hamas movement, the ADL said in a statement.

"The political decision to expel Israel's representatives coupled with approval of and support for Hamas and its Iranian backers are dangerous signals that officials in the Chavez regime question Israel's right to exist and stand with those who systematically engage in hatred of the Jewish people," ADL National Director Abe Foxman wrote in the statement.
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"The immorality of these actions in the face of Israel fulfilling the basic right of any country, to defend itself against attacks on its civilians, is transparent," he wrote, adding:

"Equally disturbing is the message being sent to Jewish communities living in those countries that there is no place in Caracas or La Paz for Israel's diplomats."

Venezuela earlier this month expelled Israel's ambassador in Caracas to protest the Israel Defense Forces' offensive in Gaza. The move came just hours after President Hugo Chavez called the attacks a "holocaust."

Bolivian President Evo Morales, a close Chavez ally, followed suit by cutting of his country's ties with Israel for apparently the same reason.

Chavez in 2006 threatened to break ties with Israel over its five-week war in Lebanon in a diplomatic spat that led both countries to withdraw their envoys.

In its statement on Tuesday, the ADL cited the move as having spurred anti-Semitic sentiment and unleashing "an outpouring of anti-Semitic graffiti on the walls of synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses and city plazas, the appearance of Nazi imagery in anti-Israel rallies and appeals to boycott Jewish-owned and Israeli businesses."

Related articles:
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  • A week after expelling Israeli officials over Gaza op, Venezuela looks to repair ties
  • Report: West fears Hezbollah setting up cells in Venezuela
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      1.   Anti-Defamation League defaming Venezuela and Bolivia 14:11  |  Michael 21/01/09
      2.   ADL should also investigate Israeli Arab parties in Israel!! 14:17  |  arthur 21/01/09
      3.   Inflammatory and offensive? 14:24  |  Natallie Durson 21/01/09
      4.   ADL sending message that it`s siding with Israel..... 14:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/01/09
      5.   the usual story 15:07  |  Murray 21/01/09
      6.   That`s simply not a true 15:16  |  Medo 21/01/09
      7.   To arthur 15:25  |  IsraeliArab 21/01/09
      8.   Same Disgusting Logic 15:54  |  Rizwan 21/01/09
      9.   Defamation by ADL 17:17  |  Ali 21/01/09
      10.   Michael in UK:Check your timelines 17:19  |  Arie 21/01/09
      11.   dino:ADL siding w/ Israel and Swiss siding with? 17:21  |  Arie 21/01/09
      12.   ADL meshugene! It`s the OCCUPATION, Einstein! 17:23  |  Ivar 21/01/09
      13.   ADL JOB? 17:51  |  indrajaya 21/01/09
      14.   arie: dino:ADL siding w/ Israel and Swiss siding with? 18:10  |  Ali 21/01/09
      15.   With us, or with the terrorists 19:52  |  David 21/01/09
      16.   michael,you ignorant piece of arab appeasing trash 23:14  |  terrornator 21/01/09
      17.   Where was the ADL? 16:18  |  JoeP 22/01/09
      18.   Abe Foxman 16:24  |  Tania 23/01/09
      19.   #1 Michael, let all bloggers here this.. 16:52  |  John Allen 23/01/09
      20.   venezueal and bolivia 06:20  |  Zvi merovic 24/01/09
      21.   after gaza... so do i 18:02  |  ravi 25/01/09
      22.   to Ravi 19:04  |  Harry 24/02/09
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