Viva la Solidaridad! Special update published by North London VSC
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By Matthew Willgress The government of Venezuela, led by President Nicolas Maduro, has decried Israelli forces’ incursion into Gaza and called for the UN to condemn Israel over its recent wave of aggression. President Nicolas Maduro described the assault, which has claimed over 350 lives, to as a stepping up of a policy of “extermination.” V enezuela has called for an emergency session of the UN’s Human Rights Council to address Israel’s ongoing military incursion in Gaza, said an official statement, adding the UN should address the “systematic violation of the Human Rights of the Palestinian population in Gaza by the State of Israel and adopt the necessary measures to halt those violations.” Earlier this month, President Maduro condemned “Israel’s unjust, disproportionate and illegal military attack on the heroic Palestinian people.” An article released by the government’s Venezuelan News Agency also pointed out that much private media around the world has contributed to the massacre of the people of Gaza by perpetuating the narrative that the military action is a “war between equals”. AVN added that Israel has surrounded and blockaded Gaza, keeping it under siege. #SOSPalestina Launched & Solidarity Acitvities Held Additionally, President Maduro has launched an “SOS Palestine” campaign to demand an end to Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza. “Enough already, I’ve joined the campaign. #SOS Palestina, let’s launch it,” he told supporters whilst holding up a handwritten placard. Asking fellow citizens to join the campaign, he said “The Palestinian people have the right to live in their ancestral lands in peace…our international position over the issue of Palestine is just and follows the policy of [former President] comandante Hugo Chavez” (see more overleaf.) Alongside this, numerous solidarity activities with Palestine have been held in Venezuela. At the outset of “Operation Protective Edge” - the continuing massive bombardment of Gaza – thousands gathered to protest and hold a solidarity rally, where speaker after speaker voiced outrage at the massacre of innocent children and other civilians. In contrast to the attitude of many Western and other governments internationally on Palestine, the rally had been announced in government media as well as progressive independent news sources, with a twitter account associated with President Maduro even publicising it. Ongoing Solidarity These latest positions and initiatives in solidarity with Palestine, reflect a proud tradition in Venezuela in recent years. Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez cut diplomatic relations with Israeli after its earlier war on Gaza in 2008- 2009. Venezuela has since built up an alliance with Palestine, including making “solidarity” health, education and oil deals with the Middle Eastern country (see more overleaf.) As the holder of the world’s largest oil reserves, with a repeatedly elected progressive government in power committed to national sovereignty free from US domination, and the redistribution of wealth, Venezuela has faced constant hostility from the US in recent years. No doubt Venezuela’s stance on Palestine and with regards to questions of the Middle East and international justice more generally – the government opposed the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq – is another reason for this hostility. ■ To find out more about Venezuela today and join the campaign in solidarity with this progressive beacon in the world visit www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk Venezuela: Standing In Solidarity with Palestine viva la solidaridad ! ! Published by the North London Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Special Update, July 2014 Palestinian girl expresses her thanks to Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro has spoken out for Palestine again & again on the international stage, first as Foreign Minister & now as Venezuela’s elected President. Hugo Chavez’s image appeared on marches across the Middle East at the time of Israel’s 2009 assault on Gaza.
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Venezuela: Standing in Solidarity with Palestine
Transcript of Viva la Solidaridad! Special update published by North London VSC
By Matthew Willgress
The government of Venezuela,led by President Nicolas Maduro,has decried Israelli forces’incursion into Gaza and calledfor the UN to condemn Israelover its recent wave ofaggression. President NicolasMaduro described the assault,which has claimed over 350lives, to as a stepping up of apolicy of “extermination.”
Venezuela has called for an emergencysession of the UN’s Human RightsCouncil to address Israel’s ongoingmilitary incursion in Gaza, said an
official statement, adding the UN should addressthe “systematic violation of the Human Rights ofthe Palestinian population in Gaza by the State ofIsrael and adopt the necessary measures to haltthose violations.”
Earlier this month, President Maduro condemned“Israel’s unjust, disproportionate and illegalmilitary attack on the heroic Palestinian people.”
An article released by the government’sVenezuelan News Agency also pointed out thatmuch private media around the world hascontributed to the massacre of the people ofGaza by perpetuating the narrative that the
military action is a “war between equals”. AVNadded that Israel has surrounded and blockadedGaza, keeping it under siege.
#SOSPalestina Launched & Solidarity Acitvities HeldAdditionally, President Maduro has launched an“SOS Palestine” campaign to demand an end toIsrael’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza.
“Enough already, I’ve joined the campaign. #SOS Palestina, let’s launch it,” he told supporterswhilst holding up a handwritten placard. Askingfellow citizens to join the campaign, he said “ThePalestinian people have the right to live in theirancestral lands in peace…our internationalposition over the issue of Palestine is just andfollows the policy of [former President]comandante Hugo Chavez” (see more overleaf.)
Alongside this, numerous solidarity activitieswith Palestine have been held in Venezuela. Atthe outset of “Operation Protective Edge” - thecontinuing massive bombardment of Gaza –thousands gathered to protest and hold asolidarity rally, where speaker after speakervoiced outrage at the massacre of innocentchildren and other civilians.
In contrast to the attitude of many Western andother governments internationally on Palestine,the rally had been announced in governmentmedia as well as progressive independent newssources, with a twitter account associated withPresident Maduro even publicising it.
Ongoing SolidarityThese latest positions and initiatives in solidaritywith Palestine, reflect a proud tradition inVenezuela in recent years. Former VenezuelanPresident Hugo Chavez cut diplomatic relationswith Israeli after its earlier war on Gaza in 2008-2009. Venezuela has since built up an alliancewith Palestine, including making “solidarity”health, education and oil deals with the MiddleEastern country (see more overleaf.)
As the holder of the world’s largest oil reserves,with a repeatedly elected progressivegovernment in power committed to nationalsovereignty free from US domination, and theredistribution of wealth, Venezuela has facedconstant hostility from the US in recent years. Nodoubt Venezuela’s stance on Palestine and withregards to questions of the Middle East andinternational justice more generally – thegovernment opposed the wars on Afghanistanand Iraq – is another reason for this hostility.
■ To find out more about Venezuela today andjoin the campaign in solidarity with thisprogressive beacon in the world visitwww.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk
Venezuela: Standing InSolidarity with Palestine
vivala solidaridad!
!
Published by the North London Venezuela Solidarity Campaign
Special Update, July 2014
Palestinian girl expresses her thanks to Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro has spoken out for Palestine again & again onthe international stage, first as Foreign Minister & now asVenezuela’s elected President.
Hugo Chavez’s image appeared on marches across the Middle East at the time of Israel’s 2009 assault on Gaza.
Compiled from agencies
Mahmoud Abbas recently awardedPresident Maduro and the family ofVenezuela’s late President HugoChávez the “Star of Palestine”,
stating, “Chavez is always in our hearts. Thechurches of Palestine rang their bells withsadness when he died, because the Palestinianpeople hold him in such great esteem”.
Under President Chavez, Venezuela’s expulsionof the Israeli ambassador in 2009 after theassault on Gaza was followed with a statementin which Chavez declared that the presidents ofboth Israel and the US should be tried at theInternational Criminal Court. His stance wasagain emphasised in the aftermath of themassacre on board the Mavi Marmara in May2010, with Chavez asserting that the attackwas “an act of war undertaken by the Israeliarmy against defenceless civilians”. Then,following the UN vote which established
Palestine as a non-member state, a Palestiniandelegation from Ramallah visited Venezuela. Afurther notable gesture on behalf of Venezuelawas the abolishment of visas for Palestinianswishing to travel to the country. Venezuela alsopledged to build a hospital on Palestinianterritory, advancing another concept ofChavez’s revolution - the promotion of freehealth care for all.
When Chávez passed away in 2013, tributeswere paid across a wide range of viewpoints inPalestinian society, including by Hamas, whodeclared Chavez “an activist and supporter ofthe Palestinian cause,” the Popular Front for theLiberation of Palestine, who said that Chavez’s‘heroic stand against the aggression and tyrannyof the occupation’ would never be forgotten, andFatah who said, “Chavez was known forstanding up to the Israeli occupation and forrefusing to bow to American hegemony.”
The Late Hugo ChávezAwarded the Star of Palestine
Special Update, July 2014
Palestinian/Venezuelan ties Strengthenedas PetroPalestina is Created
By Sian Errington
The wave of change that has seenprogressive governments elected acrossmuch of Latin America remains abeacon of hope, as shown again by the
response on Gaza.
Not only has Venezuela launched an internationalcampaign and sends oil to Gaza, but othergovernments have also spoken out and takenaction. Bolivia’s President Evo Morales has said itis high time something was done “to end thegenocide that Israel is carrying out on Palestine.”
On 17th July Foreign minister Ricardo Patiñorecalled Ecuador’s ambassador to Israel. Cubahas a long tradition of standing shoulder toshoulder with Palestine, whilst Chile has haltedfree trade negotiations with Israel and seenmassive protests in solidarity with Gaza (seepicture below.)
South America & ALBA condemn Israeli assault
■ Web: www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk■ Twitter: @vensolidarity■ Email: [email protected]
JOIN & FINDOUT MORE ABOUTVENEZUELASOLIDARITY
This newsletter was published by the NorthLondon Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. Theviews in articles only express those of theauthors unless otherwise stated –[email protected]
By Paul Dobson
Just weeks before Israel’s attacks onGaza, President Nicolas Maduroreceived Mahmoud Abbas, explainingthat “The Palestinian cause is the
world’s cause and Palestine shall be an invisiblepeople no more.”
A key reason for the visit was to formPetroPalestina, an organization aimed at helpingfulfill the oil demands of the besieged Palestinianeconomy, which will, in the words of Maduro,“firm up the supplying of diesel from Venezuelato Palestine”. Discussions were also held on thecreation of a Palestinian centre of MissionMiracle; a health program which uses lasersurgery to restore, without cost, sight to peoplewho can’t afford private attention.
