CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and some embassy staff on Tuesday to protest Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip!

 

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and some embassy staff on Tuesday to protest Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The decision by President Hugo Chavez, a longtime critic of U.S. and Israeli policy, to kick out the diplomats appeared to be the strongest reaction yet to the Gaza offensive by any country with ties to Israel.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry announced the move in a statement, saying it "has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the personnel of the Israeli embassy."

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 600 Palestinians in ground and air strikes.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said its U.N. mission is joining with other countries in demanding the Security Council "apply urgent and necessary measures to stop this invasion."

Chavez earlier condemned the Israelis carrying out the military campaign as "murderers" and urged Jews in Venezuela to take a stand against the Israeli government.

"Now I hope that the Venezuelan Jewish community speaks out against this barbarism. Do it. Don't you strongly reject all acts of persecution?" Chavez said.

"How far will this barbarism go?," he said in an appearance on state television. "The president of Israel should be taken before an international court together with the president of the United States, if the world had any conscience."

Chavez's condemnations of Israel's offensive have grown gradually more severe in recent days.

He called on Israelis to "stand up against" their government. As for those leading the offensive in Gaza, he said, "they are cowards — bombing innocent people. What great soldiers they are, how brave the soldiers of Israel are."

Protests against the offensive have been held in Venezuela and other Latin American countries in recent days.

In Argentina, which has the third-largest Jewish population outside Israel as well as a sizable population of Arab descent, hundreds of people marched to the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires to call for an end to the offensive.

Brazil's government says it is sending 14 tons of medicine and food to the Gaza Strip. And in Bolivia, about a hundred Palestinians and Arabs marched to protest the violence.

 Mr.Hugo Chavez ,you have embarrassed muslims with his braveness & kindness!

Every Palestinian and Every Muslim,, would like to truly thank you, for your amazing support!!

I guess Mr.Chavez is thinking where are ........?????????
The Arabs & Muslim leaders?????