Israel expels Venezuela embassy staff, cuts ties with Caracas

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"Israel on Wednesday expelled all diplomatic staff from the Venezuelan embassy, just days after President Hugo Chavez ordered Jerusalem's envoys out of Caracas in protest of Israel's recent offensive in Gaza.

The move effectively cut off what remained of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Earlier in the week, the foreign ministry notified junior diplomats representing Venezuela in Israel that they were to depart the country within 72 hours.

Last week, Chavez announced his country would permanently end ties with Israel over Israel's recent offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

"Venezuela ... has definitively decided to break diplomatic ties with the state of Israel given the inhumane persecution of the Palestinian people carried out by the authorities of Israel," said a statement read over state television."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1059530.html

is there a larger significance to this? Could well be if more countries join with Venezuela in ending diplomatic ties to Israel.

Evo Morales was appalled about the Gazan slaughter.

Chavez seems to forget often that his regional theatrics don't play well on the international stage

Caracas says it is 'proud' that Israel expelled its ambassador: 'The response of the state of Israel is weak, late, and in any case for us it's an honor,' says Venezuelan Foreign Ministry

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3663476,00.html

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"Venezuela's government said Wednesday it is proud of that Israel has expelled its ambassador, calling Israel's leaders criminals while denying allegations of anti-Semitism at home.

Israel's Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that it had ordered the Venezuelan ambassador to leave this week, responding to Venezuela's Jan. 6 declaration that it was expelling Israeli diplomats because of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Venezuela escalated the clash on Jan. 14 by saying it was breaking relations altogether, though it apparently left its own ambassador in Israel.

"The response of the state of Israel is weak, late, and in any case for us it's an honor," Foreign Minister

Nicolas Maduro told the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera. "We're proud that the state of Israel that exists today, led by these criminals, made this decision." The comments were posted on his ministry's Web site.

Maduro also rejected accusations of anti-Semitism by a Jewish community leader, Abraham Levy.

"All of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities know religious discrimination is not a problem that has or will have a place in our society," Maduro said, complaining that every time a country criticizes Israel's government, it "Is automatically added to the list of anti-Semites."