Hugo Chavez Said Isreal attacks are genocide.

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Venezuela pulls out Israel ambassador

Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, said he had recalled his country's ambassador to Israel to show his "indignation" over the military offensive in Lebanon.


In a televised speech on Thursday, he called the Israeli attacks "genocide".

He said: "It really causes indignation to see how the state of Israel continues bombing, killing ... with all of the power they have, with the support of the United States."

Chavez has repeatedly criticised the Israeli offensive.

He said: "It's hard to explain to oneself how nobody does anything to stop this horror."

His government has until recently said it had good relations with Israel.

During a recent visit to Iran, Chavez called Israeli attacks on Lebanon a "fascist outrage".

He said: "The Israeli elite repeatedly criticise Hitler's actions against the Jews, and indeed Hitler's actions must be criticised, not just against the Jews but against the world. It's also fascism what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people ... terrorism and fascism."

Venezuela has both Arab immigrant and Jewish communities and Venezuelan officials have insisted that the government will continue to fully respect the Jewish community despite its strong opposition to Israel's war in Lebanon.


Agencies

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

You can always count on Chavez as the voice of reason.

[Viking]

No, Bush is the reasonable one (if only he could walk n talk).

[Intellectualsomali]

Isn't the meaning of genocide the systematic, planned annihilation of an ethnic, racial, political group? (wikepedia).

Well, he is right.

Poor Americans, they have been misled by the christian rightwing, a president who can hardly reason and a rightwing media.


Where is Bill clinton? They should change the constitution to allow him to run for office and correct things.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"Isn't the meaning of genocide the systematic, planned annihilation of an ethnic, racial, political group? (wikepedia).

Well, he is right. "

If the Israelis are planning on annihilating the Lebanese, they sure are doing it the slow way. You would think after watching how the Germans did it, they'd be a little more efficient.

[Intellectualsomali]

Mad

To the innocent children, women and the elderly killed in Qana, Beirut, Tyre and the poor kurdish farm workers this is genocide.

Only a bigot wrapped in the vernom of right wing politics (christian fundamentalism) would see this as self defence. American liberals, intellectuals and voices of reason are against it.

The root cause is the Palestine question and the palestinians are humiliated daily with the full blessing of the right wing in the US. 9000 in prisoner, constant killing of innocent and occupation would not bring peace.

American foreign policy needs a rethink. The world is unsafe because of the unabated support the Israeli right wing is getting from the US government.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"To the innocent children, women and the elderly killed in Qana, Beirut, Tyre and the poor kurdish farm workers this is genocide. "

What makes you think they were innocent? You don't think they were supporting Hizbollah? Sorry if I sound jaded here, but my experience in Somalia taught me that innocent civilians are not always innocent.

"Only a bigot wrapped in the vernom of right wing politics (christian fundamentalism) would see this as self defence. American liberals, intellectuals and voices of reason are against it. "

I don't care if it is self defense or not. But obviously there is tremendous animosity between the two parties. Can there be any doubt that Hizbollah bears ill intent towards Isreal?

"The root cause is the Palestine question and the palestinians are humiliated daily with the full blessing of the right wing in the US. 9000 in prisoner, constant killing of innocent and occupation would not bring peace. "

What do the Palestinians have to do with Hizbollah? How again is this the root cause? And what exactly is the peace proposal Hamas is offering?

"American foreign policy needs a rethink. The world is unsafe because of the unabated support the Israeli right wing is getting from the US government."

Nothing's going to change. All the positions have hardened. Get used to things the way they are, because this is the way things will be for a while.

[avowedly-agnostic]

I agree with MAD, I don't believe ethnic cleansing is what the Israelis are aiming for- you don't drop leaflets ordering the inhabitants to evacuate if you're intent on the "systematic, planned annihilation of an ethnic" group.

However that's missing the point : words aren't of particular importance at this precise moment in time whilst the killing of children continues, what's key is that Chavez in stark contradistinction to western leaders is speaking out and taking a stand against the crimes of humanity that are unfolding. His expression of solidarity with the oppressed Lebanese and Gazans in the face of apparent western indiference is what's noteworthy.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Chavez is squarely in the let wing communist camp. He is trying to build a counter-weight to US power. He can only do that by pulling together the various US oppossing interests. Pretty soon he'll be praising Kim Jong Il as a man of the people.

[avowedly-agnostic]

"He (comrade Chavez) is trying to build a counter-weight to US power. He can only do that by pulling together the various US oppossing interests. Pretty soon he'll be praising Kim Jong Il as a man of the people."

I wasn't aware you were in the business of prophesising the future. Kim Jong Il is a brutal tyrant whose done little to alleviate the poverty stricken condition he's people are in.

Chavez on the other hand is working with other leaders in Latin America- Cuba, and Bolivia being chief, to raise Latin America from its current poverty stricken condition which US dominated financial institutions like the IMF's economic programme are responsible for. That's what the mass Latin American Movements demand, and that's exactly what Presidents Chavez, Morales, Castro, and other left leaning leaders are seeking to implement.

[avowedly-agnostic]

It's a testimony to the spirit of compassion, and moral integrity of president Chavez, and his firm beleif in international solidarity with the oppressed people of the world, that he's severed diplomatic relations with Israel in protest of its terror campaign.

Excellent.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

"I wasn't aware you were in the business of prophesising the future. Kim Jong Il is a brutal tyrant whose done little to alleviate the poverty stricken condition he's people are in."

Where the fock you been? That's my job, predicting the future. Shit.

And that KJI is a tyrant was kind of my point. You are quite foolishly interpreting Chavez' actions as those of some sort of altruist. Chavez, like almost all politicians, is in it for Chavez.

"Chavez on the other hand is working with other leaders in Latin America- Cuba, and Bolivia being chief, to raise Latin America from its current poverty stricken condition which US dominated financial institutions like the IMF's economic programme are responsible for. That's what the mass Latin American Movements demand, and that's exactly what Presidents Chavez, Morales, Castro, and other left leaning leaders are seeking to implement."

So now it's the US ' fault that South America has crappy economies? Whose fault was it 150 years ago?

Another card carrying member of the "Blame America First" club.

[avowedly-agnostic]

"Where the fock you been? That's my job, predicting the future. Shit."

Like I say, I was unaware- but I think I'll just stick with facts.

"You are quite foolishly interpreting Chavez' actions as those of some sort of altruist. Chavez, like almost all politicians, is in it for Chavez."

Does it particularly matter what Chavez's intentions behind his free literacy, healthcare, employment and pensions initiatives are? What's important so far as Venezuelans (who've elected him 8 times) are concerned is he's delivering on his electoral campaign promises. In the UK we call that good governance.

But I for one believe he does genuinely care about alleviating poverty. Like when he offered to sell oil at a ridiculously cheap price to the Katrina victims.

"So now it's the US ' fault that South America has crappy economies?"

ABSOLUTELY. The US's economic programme known as the "washinton consensus" adopted in Latin American countries at the imposition of the US and IMF as a condition for relieving debts (incured by former US backed dictators) cripppled Latin America.

The Washington consensus prescribed tax increases, slashing of public spending, trade liberalization, and sales of state-held assets to private interests.

Privatized utilities dramatically increased rates for basic services such as electricity, water, and telephone.

"Another card carrying member of the "Blame America First" club."

Playing the anti-American card again I see. So whoever criticises US foreign policy must be anti-American and whoever criticises Israel is an anti-Semite. Give me a break kind sir. I love America and Americans, I'm opposed to American administraions that seek to impoverish other nations at the advantage of multinational companies.

[Intellectualsomali]

Change is inevitable. It is the world against the US and Israel. The Bush adminstration thinks it can stand alone. But that is nonsense.

"What do the Palestinians have to do with Hizbollah? How again is this the root cause? And what exactly is the peace proposal Hamas is offering? "

Hizobollah = Arabs, muslims
Palestinians=Arabs, muslims
Middle east=Arabs

The root cause of today's global problem is the absence of a palestinian state. The exodus of palestinians refugees.

Get the palestinians a state, jerusalem as the capital, and a return to 1967 and there is peace.

Hamas is a popular social movement. It has been elected by palestinians. democratically.

What do the republicans and the Likud party offer to peace???????? Bombing, invading and killings.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

South America has economic problems because of its own bad governance and mismanagement of their economies. Not because they are exploited.

And I missed the Hamas peace proposal. Did they say that? Hmmm, can't believe i missed it.

For once I would like to here the losers of this world say"America is great, Europe is great, we're just shitheads."