While Chavez has condemned the vandalism of the synagogue in Caracas, the publicly pro-Iranian, pro-Islamic and anti-Jewish sentiments of Hugo Chavez and other government officials in Venezuela are to blame for this anti-Jewish attack. In Argentina, where a Jewish Community Center was bombed in 1994 with 85 casualties, large anti-Israel/anti-Jewish demonstrations have been held frequently in Buenas Aires and other major cities. Islamic jihad groups are given free rein in some parts of South America, most notably in the remote region near the intersection of the borders of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
In the US we have elected a president who promises to act aggressively against Israeli national interest, and who reaches out to Muslims ahead of any other group. Even in Albuquerque we have public officials calling publicly for the destruction of Israel, and knowingly inciting anti-Jewish passions among their followers and on public streets. The Jewish community is silent, except for those Jews who stand up among that rabble to declare in essence that they are ashamed for Israel to exist. The police can only hope to stop Muslim/Left wing riots in town by herding whoever this rabble doesn’t like out of range, and are not able to enforce the law when this rabble is on the streets. This is the same pattern we saw in Europe and South America. Jews are now frequently attacked in those areas and are more and more fleeing out of fear. How ridiculous to say it will be different here, if we follow the same course.
The Argentinian Jewish community has been prosperous and respected, as is the Jewish community in the US. What has been happening in Argentina, the rest of South America and Europe is also happening in the US, and even in our small city of Albuquerque. To say it’s not as bad here, so we should be quiet, is foolish. There was a time when it wasn’t so bad there as well, and people kept quiet. We see the results. This silence is not virtuous behavior, nor is it the “moral high ground”, nor is it even pragmatic. We should support the Jews of South America and Europe and not repeat their mistakes, as far as possible.
Background article from Feb. 2, 2009
(IsraelNN.com) Vandals sprayed anti-Semitic graffiti on the walls of a Venezuela synagogue and defaced Torah scrolls on Saturday in what Jewish leaders call the worst attack ever on the Jewish community in Venezuela.
About 15 armed attackers, who overcame two security guards, ravaged a Caracas synagogue. The vandals struck late Friday night and continued their assault until around 3 a.m. Saturday, vandalizing the offices of the Venezuelan Jewish community’s central organization, tossing Torah scrolls and other holy books on the floor, and leaving graffiti on the synagogue walls that read, “We don’t want Jews here” and “Jews get out.” The synagogue attack prevented Sabbath services from taking place.
The act of vandalism occurred amid soured relations between Venezuela and Israel. Venezuela recently expelled Israel�s ambassador from the country in protest of Israel�s military operations in Gaza. Israel responded by expelling Venezuela�s ambassador to Israel last week.
Israeli officials have criticized Venezuela�s President Hugo Chavez for his support of Iran�s nuclear program, his support of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his outspoken condemnation of what he calls Israel’s “genocidal policies towards the Palestinians.”
Venezuela�s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro condemned the attack and assured that it would be investigated. However, he reiterated the government�s opposition to what he called Israel�s �criminal government.� �We respect the Jewish people, but we ask respect for the people of Palestine and their right to life,� Maduro remarked during a ceremony welcoming the two Venezuelan diplomats who were expelled from Israel as a reciprocal measure for Venezuela�s expelling of the Israeli ambassador on January 6th.
Leaders of Venezuela�s 15,000-member Jewish community warned that anti-Israel remarks by Chavez and other government officials, including its state-controlled press, might have sparked the vandalism attack on the synagogue.
“Never in the history of Venezuela’s Jewish community have we been the target of such an aggression,” Elias Farache, the president of Venezuela’s Jewish Association, stated. “The climate is very tense. We feel threatened, intimidated, attacked,” he said.
Reacting to the synagogue attack, the American Jewish Committee expressed its deepening concerns for the security and safety of the Jewish community in Venezuela.
“The total disrespect of a Jewish house of worship reflects the escalating climate of hostility towards Jews in Venezuela,” said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. “The wanton desecration of holy books is disheartening and inexcusable.”
“There are strong indications that what we are witnessing is a state-sponsored campaign of anti-Semitic persecution, spurred by both Venezuela’s alliance with the Iranian regime and the surge of anti-Israel rhetoric during the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas,” said Harris. “We call on the international community to declare its solidarity with Venezuela’s Jewish community and to make clear to President Chavez that further escalation will not be tolerated.”
AJC has spoken out with alarm before about the ongoing threats to the Jewish community in Venezuela, and apparent lack of concern by the Chavez government in countering the rising number of anti-Semitic incidents and providing adequate security. In 2004 and again in 2007, Venezuela police raided the Hebraica, the Caracas complex housing the Jewish community center and school.
Open letter from Jewish South American group before the synagogue attack in Caracas
Caracas, January 18, 2009
OPEN LETTER FROM CLAM � MACCABI LATIN AMERICA CONFEDERATION
We wish to bring to your attention our great concern over the current situation of the Jewish Community of Venezuela.
Historically, the people of Venezuela welcomed with open arms immigrants from everywhere without any expression of xenophobia or racism. All ethnic and religious communities traditionally enjoyed peaceful co-existence at all times, and Venezuela’s Jewish Community – dating from the days of Simon Bolivar � was no exception.
In the past, as today, several Venezuelan governments have expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian cause or the Palestinian people. However, since the events in Gaza that began on December 27 2008, the present government of Venezuela has adopted an aggressive and dangerous tone never previously heard, clearly inciting against the Jewish Community. The Government’s supporters nationwide picked up on the Government’s lead with clearly anti-Semitic expressions � with no effort whatsoever by Government to stop them. The expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador followed, and subsequently, a final breaking off of diplomatic relations.
Furthermore, there is a well-orchestrated campaign on TV, radio, print and Internet media owned by the government, openly questioning Israel’s right to exist, even including publication of such anti-Semitic materials as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. A group of pro-government journalists is urging the population to boycott businesses owned by Jews in Venezuela.
We ask all Jewish Communities worldwide to condemn this campaign against our brethren in Venezuela, and to ask their governments, their national and international Media to condemn this racism and anti-Semitism in Venezuela, which set a dangerous new precedent in Latin America.
Thanking you in advance for all your efforts,
CHAZAK VE’ EMATZ – AM ISRAEL CHAI
Leave a reply