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: info@venezuelasolidarity.co.uk

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 –northlondonvsc@hotmail.co.uk

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.