Venezuela synagogue vandalized

[oberliner]

Source: CNN

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Armed men forced their way into a Caracas synagogue, defacing its administrative offices with anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalizing an interior room where the Torah is kept, officials said.

About 15 men forced their way into the Mariperez Synagogue in Venezuela's capital about 10 p.m. Friday, staying until about 3 a.m., police said. They tied up a security guard at the synagogue before vandalizing the rooms.

Graffiti left at the scene included the phrases "Damn the Jews," "Jews out of here" and "Israel assassins." The men also left behind a picture of a devil, authorities said.

The men stole computers and administrative papers or documents, officials said. They did not cover their faces, but took the recordings from security cameras with them.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/01/31/venezuela.synagogue/

---

Edit: Switched to CNN version of story.

[EFerrari]

1. My good buddy, Simon Romero!

Some one vandalizes a synagogue and damn that Hugo Chavez.

And Globovision is right on it, too!

The gang's all here.

[cali]

2. interesting response

no one is blaming Chavez for this act. And your response isn't to condemn an ugly act of bigotry but to insinuate that it's all some plot against Chavez. Rather sad.

[EFerrari]

3. No, cali. I've deconstructed Romero enough times in the past

to see his pattern immediately. And Chavez does get blamed -- but you have to read the article to see how.

I'm not insinuating anything. I'm saying outright, Simon Romero is a hack and a quick search and read of his articles show he has no interest in synagogues at all. So shame on Romero for using anti-semitism to earn his check.

[oberliner]

4. Switched it to the CNN version of the story

No Romero or Globovision references to be concerned about.

[EFerrari]

7. A much more credible report. My first introduction to Romero was an article

he wrote in the run up to the last referendum in Venezuela. It was really disturbing because three different military sources said, Chavez was losing control of the armed forces who were turning against him in the run up to the voting.

So, I tracked down the three guys. Two of them weren't even in Venezuela and were retirees who had left after Chavez was elected. The third was a guy who had gone (vocally) over to the opposition and who was beginning a run for office himself. They would have been good enough sources except Romero's implication was that they were on the ground and neutral, which they clearly weren't.

[cali]

5. I read the whole article. The author wrote that the Chavez administration

condemned the attack. Chavez did not get blamed, though the article did state that there's been tension between the Jewish community and Chavez. How on earth reporting this story is "using anti-semitism" is beyond me. Would you prefer that such stories be unreported?

[EFerrari]

9. What does this crime have to do with the rupture in relations, cali?

We don't know that it has anything to do with it.

[IndianaGreen]

13. It has nothing to do with it, but the usual suspects in the Israel megaphone community

would exploit it to attack Chavez for being so outraged about Israel's crimes in Gaza as to break diplomatic relations.

Blaming Chavez for this is like blaming Obama for the significantly higher number of synagogues being attacked in US in the Gazan war aftermath.

[Ian David]

74. My friend "ignored" rarely makes sense. n/t

[EFerrari]

102. Your friend ignored has a good batting average for calling out misinformation.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Imagine believing Simon Romero's a clean journalist. Amazing. People have been shaking their heads

over his contributions to public awareness for YEARS.

June 20, 2007

The New York Times vs. Hugo Chavez
The Record of the Newspaper of Record
By STEPHEN LENDMAN

Dictionaries define "yellow journalism" variously as irresponsible and sensationalist reporting that distorts, exaggerates or misstates the truth. It's misinformation or agitprop disinformation masquerading as fact to boost circulation and readership or serve a larger purpose like lying for state and corporate interests. The dominant US media excel in it, producing a daily diet of fiction portrayed as real news and information in their role as our national thought-control police gatekeepers. In the lead among the print and electronic corporate-controlled media is the New York Times publishing "All The News That's Fit To Print" by its standards. Others wanting real journalism won't find it on their pages allowing only the fake kind. It's because this paper's primary mission is to be the lead instrument of state propaganda making it the closest thing we have in the country to an official ministry of information and propaganda.

Singlehandedly, the Times destroys "The Myth of the Liberal Media" that's also the title of Edward Herman's 1999 book on "the illiberal media," the market system, and what passes for democracy in America Michael Parenti calls "Democracy For the Few," in his book with that title out earlier this year in its 8th edition.

In his book, Herman writes about the "propaganda model" he and Noam Chomsky introduced and developed 11 years earlier in their landmark book titled "Manufacturing Consent." They explained how the dominant media use this technique to program the public mind to go along with whatever agenda best serves wealth and power interests. So imperial wars of aggression are portrayed as liberating ones, humanitarian intervention, and spreading democracy to nations without any. Never mind they're really for new markets, resources like oil, and cheap exploitable labor paid for with public tax dollars diverted from essential social needs.

In "The Myth of the Liberal Media," Herman explains the "propaganda model" focuses on "the inequality of wealth and power" and how those with most of it can "filter out the news to print, marginalize dissent (and assure) government and dominant private interests" control the message and get it to the public. It's done through a set of "filters" removing what's to be suppressed and "leaving only the cleansed (acceptable) residue fit to print" or broadcast electronically. Parenti's "Democracy For the Few" is democracy-US style the rest of us are stuck with.

~snip~
Times Venezuelan reporter Simon Romero is little better than Lowenstein or others sending back agitprop disguised as real journalism in his Venezuelan coverage, including RCTV closure street protests. He made events on Caracas streets sound almost like a one-sided uprising of protesters against Chavez with "images of policemen with guns drawn" intimidating them. He highlighted Chavez's critics claiming "the move to allow RCTV's license to expire amounts to a stifling of dissent in the news media." He quoted Elisa Parejo, one of RCTV's first soap opera stars, saying "What we're living in Venezuela is a monstrosity. It is a dictatorship."

He quoted right wing daily newspaper El Nacional as well portraying the RCTV decision as "the end of pluralism" in the country. Gonzalo Marroquin, president of the corporate media-controlled Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), was also cited saying Chavez wants to "standardize the right to information (indicating) a very bleak outlook for the whole hemisphere." He invented corporate-cooked polling numbers showing "most Venezuelans oppose Mr. Chavez's decision not to renew RCTV's license." In fact, the opposite is true and street demonstrators for and against RCTV's shuttering proved it. Venezuelans supporting Chavez dwarfed the opposition many times over. But you won't find Romero or any other Times correspondent reporting that. If any try doing it, they'll end up doing obits as their future beat.

Back in February, Romero was at it earlier. Then, he hyped Venezuela's arms spending making it sound like Chavez threatened regional stability and was preparing to bomb or invade Miami. Romero's incendiary headline read "Venezuela Spending on Arms Soars to World's Top Ranks." It began saying "Venezuela's arms spending has climbed to more than $4 billion in the past two years, transforming the nation into Latin America's largest weapons buyer" with suggestive comparisons to Iran. The report revealed this information came from the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) making that unreliable source alone reason to question its accuracy and what's behind it.

The figure quoted refers only to what Venezuela spends on arms, not its total military spending. Unmentioned was that the country's total military spending is half of Agentina's, less than one-third of Colombia's, and one-twelfth of Brazil's according to Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation figures ranking Venezuela 63rd in the world in military spending. The Center also reported Venezuela's 2004 military budget at $1.1 billion making Romero's $4 billion DIA figure phony and a spurious attempt to portray Chavez as a regional threat needing to be counteracted. At that level, he's also outspent by the Pentagon 500 to one, or lots more depending on how US military spending and homeland security readiness are calculated, including all their unreported or hidden costs.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/lendman06202007.html

~~~~~~~~~~~

Simon Romero, Petit Paresseux de Merde

(Translation:
Simon Romero, Petit lazy Shit)

Oh Simon, you little scamp. The New York Time's crack Margaritaville correspondent had us in stitches over the weekend with his groundbreaking story about how President Chavez made up a new word or something. Apparently this "delicious" little insult term is "a portmanteau word" that has become "the bon mot du jour of broadcasters." Hey Simon, what's with all the fancy French talk? And why write today about a word that was coined "decades ago in Puerto Rico"? Oh, right, because haha you basically just translated this story that Agence France-Presse published two days earlier and slapped your own name on it.

http://www.borev.net/2008/09/simon_romero_petit_paresseux_d.html

[oberliner]

14. Any thoughts on the incident itself?

You seem to know a lot about the region.

What are your thoughts on this incident?

[cali]

16. I have no idea if he's clean or not. I do know that Counterpunch is about

as reliable as worldnut daily. All I pointed out was that the author did not insinuate that Chavez was in any way responsible for this act. In any case, the story is about a really ugly act of bigotry.

And the irony of Counterpunch calling others out for yellow journalism is rich. The article you posted makes a lot of assertations without providing much evidence for them.

[EFerrari]

19. Oh fer Christ's sake.

Simon Romero is notorious for his bs. He simply used this crime as a segue into Chavez bashing.

Unlike Romero, oberliner IS interested in the story itself as most of us are. Maybe you should focus on his edited OP.

[Judi Lynn]

27. You bet he's notorious. He's a laughing stock among people acquainted with his methods.

It's no secret the New York Times had to let their rabidly anti-Chavez "journalist," Francisco Toro go when people found out he was intimately connected to the Venezuelan opposition, belongs to several Venezuelan NGO's getting financed by the United States taxpayers, and runs his own anti-Chavez blog.

It's also no secret Juan Forero, who moved to the Washington Post from the NY Times is also as warped, and anti-leftist as the other two, and has provided wildly odd reporting on Latin America.

The New York Times has employed ONLY Latin American Judy Millers for years. What a miserable shame they even pretend to be bringing us actual news anymore.

[ronnie624]

83. What is unreliable

is the attempted impeachment of an information source without evidence and a compelling argument.

[EFerrari]

98. I agree. But, notice that the article in the OP now has more actual information

about this event and less gratuitous cr@p about the Chavez government than the Romero piece?

[DesertFlower]

6. 4 synagogues in the chicago area

were vandalized a few weeks ago.

[EFerrari]

10. There have been incidents all over the world.

I hope everyone is being as careful as possible. :(

[Mika]

15. Hmm. Just around the time the Obama regime took over.

:sarcasm:

This is the DU member formerly known as, currently known as, and always will be known as Mika.

[oberliner]

17. One yesterday in Portland, Maine as well

PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- Portland police are investigating a case of vandalism at a synagogue.

Authorities said sometime overnight someone painted a swastika on the welcome sign at congregation shaarey tphiloh on noyes street.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=99878&catid=2

[Judi Lynn]

65. No reference to anyone's holding the Obama administration guilty, as Indiana Green has pointed out!

To refresh any fuzzy memory:

Hundreds protest vandalism at Chicago-area Jewish institutions
Synagogues, schools spray-painted, and windows were broken early Saturday
By Andrew L. Wang and Jeff Long | Tribune reporters
January 12, 2009

Several hundred people gathered in the parking lot of a Lincolnwood synagogue Sunday afternoon to denounce the vandalism and hateful graffiti at several Jewish institutions across the Chicago area over the weekend.

The crowd declared "The nation of Israel lives" in Hebrew, a chant of unity against intolerance, organizers said.

Elected officials and police joined the rally at the Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation, 7117 N. Crawford Ave., to urge vigilance and to vow that those who scrawled "Death to Israel," and "Free Palestine" on its walls would be arrested and prosecuted.

The rally was organized after vandals struck at least five synagogues and Jewish schools in Chicago and Lincolnwood early Saturday. The vandalism and rally come in the wake of Israeli airstrikes and the movement of ground forces into the Gaza Strip, which Israel says is meant to deter rocket attacks by the militant Islamist group Hamas. Since the war began, the Chicago area has seen several protests in the last two weeks, both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli.

More:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/religion/chi-synagogue-rally-12-jan12,0,5033905.story

[oberliner]

71. Why would anyone hold the Obama administration responsible for those attacks?

That is nonsensical!

[cali]

73. the poster's point, I believe, is that it's equally nonsensical to blame

Chavez. I don't see anyone doing that. Oth, here's the thing: Whether the ardent supporters of Chavez want to deal with it or not, Chavez does have a history of making some very iffy statements about Jews, including calling them Christ killers. Obama does not.

[Ian David]

75. Well, there's your problem right here...

4 Results matching "Hugo Chavez, Chicago, IL".
http://www.whitepages.com/search/FindPerson?extra_listing=mixed&form_mode=opt_b&post_back=1&firstname_begins_with=1&firstname=Hugo&name=Chavez&street=&city_zip=Chicago&state_id=IL

[cali]

8. Disturbing story

The authorities need to catch the people who perpetrated it.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Venezuela: those responsible for the attack on synagogue will be incarcerated

Maduro: Los responsables del ataque a la Sinagoga serán encarcelados

El canciller Nicolás Maduro insistió en que el gobierno venezolano respeta a la comunidad judía.

<snip>

"Nosotros queremos aprovechar este evento para repudiar y condenar esos actos vandálicos de este grupo anónimo contra una oficina de la comunidad judía de Venezuela", dijo Maduro. "Son actos que necesariamente tenemos que preguntarnos a qué responden. Y con la claridad de la revolución bolivariana, siempre diciendo la verdad, nos comprometemos, como ha hecho nuestro ministro del Interior, a investigar y a transmitir sus resultados y llevar a los responsables a la cárcel".

El Nacional

Maduro: Those responsible for the attack on synagogue will be incarcerated

Chancellor Nicolás Maduro insisted the government of Venezuela respects the Jewish community.

<snip>

"We want to take this opportunity to repudiate and condemn the vandalism committed by an anonymous group against an office in the Venezuelan Jewish community," said Maduro. "These acts that challenges us to respond. And with the clarity of the bolivarian revolution, always telling the truth, we are committed, as is the Minister of Interior, to investigate, follow the evidence and bring those responsible to jail.

[oberliner]

20. Does the article say if they arrested anybody?

Are there any leads about who may have done this posted in any of the local media?

[Judi Lynn]

18. From "El Observador," Caracas

Google translation:

Jesse Chacon said was in total disagreement with the act of desecration of the synagogue Maripérez

January 31, 2009 .-

The Minister of Communication and Information, Jesse Chacon, rejected on Saturday the act of desecration of a synagogue in Caracas Maripérez, and repudiated that links this act of violence with the government.

"We reject any violent act that takes place against any group in Venezuela. We reject this action wherever it comes from. The investigations are only beginning," he said.

Also, Chacon said the government rejected if these actions come from groups who believe may affect the situation of the Middle East.

"And the government wants to make clear that one thing is the state of Israel, and the policy of the State of Israel towards the Palestinians and the Gaza Strip, that we are strongly opposed, and another thing is the government's relationship with the Jewish people who lives in Venezuela and with whom we have an excellent relationship, "he said.

http://elobservador.rctv.net/Noticias/VerNoticia.aspx?NoticiaId=253416&Tipo=14

[oberliner]

21. Any info on who might have been behind this?

Do any of the Spanish-language news sources have any details about possible suspects?

[EFerrari]

22. None yet, but it hasn't been even 24 hours.

If I find anything, I'll post it to this thread.

Venezuela is diverse and has many different faith communities. I'm sure that this act will get the response it deserves both from law enforcement and from the people.

[oberliner]

32. Is "El Universal" a reliable source of information?

They have some articles on the front page of their web site (in Spanish) and photos as well of this incident.

[EFerrari]

57. El Universal is uneven but worth a shot. You have to understand that

the same media miasma that preceded the last referendum in Venezuela is ramping up today. Until after the voting, there will be daily attacks on Chavez in the press here and there, and closer to the voting, more than that. You may not remember this but the weekend of the last vote, people where actually registering at DU to attack Chavez. It was unreal.

There is already a flurry of press releases over this particular incident claiming that Jews in Venezuela are at risk. As far as I know, the Jewish community in Venezuela is no more at risk than the one in San Francisco. But, that won't stop someone from trying to make some hay out of this. I fully expect this crime will be investigated and the responsible parties found and prosecuted.

[IndianaGreen]

23. You seem more concerned about this than about the recent incident in Chicago

in which five Jewish institutions were defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti? Dare I say that you may be among those more interested in blaming Chavez than you are about finding the real culprits, particularly those culprits in our own country that engage in hate mongering.

[oberliner]

24. Wow, what a bizarre conclusion

I don't speak Spanish and am unfamiliar with what the local media outlets are in Venezuela.

I was hoping that those DUers who are familiar with those sources and have posted translated versions of Spanish-language articles (such as yourself) might be good sources for additional information.

Edit to add: I must confess that I know little to nothing about the politics in Venezuela and I'd be open to any recommended reading on the subject.

[Judi Lynn]

25. As you've pointed out, it seems only in Venezuela does anyone attempt to connect the President

to these acts of valdalism and/or terrorism.

[oberliner]

26. I don't understand what the President of Venezuela has to do with anything.

The first article I came across about this incident was from the NY Times - someone pointed out that the source was questionable so I deleted it and replaced it with an article from CNN which makes no mention of any political figures in Venezuela.

[Judi Lynn]

28. Maybe you shouldn't gloss over the opening paragraph of your original post, which you replaced.

Synagogue in Venezuela Vandalized in Break-In

By SIMON ROMERO
Published: January 31, 2009

CARACAS, Venezuela — A group of unidentified assailants overpowered security guards and vandalized a synagogue here early Saturday morning, the latest in a series of episodes aimed at Jewish institutions since Venezuela’s recent expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel to protest the war in Gaza.

~snip~
Still, it was not clear on Saturday who carried out the attack. It came after an earlier episode in January in which vandals sprayed anti-Semitic graffiti on the walls of the same synagogue reading, “Property of Islam.”

“What is troubling about Venezuela is that anti-Semitism is being used as a political tool,” the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group, said in a report detailing previous episodes of vandalism here in January on the Israeli Embassy, which is now closed, and the businesses and synagogues of the Jewish community, which numbers about 15,000.

“It is fostered by the highest levels in the government, trickled down the government apparatus and is left unchallenged by officials in the Chávez regime,” the report said.

Mr. Chávez has ratcheted up his criticism of Israel in recent days. After Israel expelled Venezuelan diplomats last week, in response to the Israeli ambassador’s expulsion here, Mr. Chávez said, “We receive them with jubilation, and it is an honor for this Socialist government, for this revolutionary people, that a genocidal government like Israel expels our delegation.”

Jews were already concerned about Mr. Chávez’s close relationship with the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has denied the Holocaust and called for Israel to be “wiped off the map.”

But the government of Venezuela has previously denied that its criticism of Israel’s policies was anti-Semitic. “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,” Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro told the Al Jazeera television network last week.

Still, some pro-government groups here commonly associate Jews with unsubstantiated antigovernment conspiracies. Sometimes officials appear to support such theories, as they did by raiding a Jewish community center in 2007 with two dozen armed security agents, ostensibly conducting a search for weapons that were not discovered.

In August, Mr. Chávez appeared to be open to easing tensions with Israel and Venezuela’s Jewish community by meeting here with leaders from the Latin American Jewish Congress. Since Israel’s recent invasion of Gaza, that moment appears to have passed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/world/americas/01webvenez.html?ref=world

[oberliner]

29. I replaced it because I was told Simon Romero was not a good source

It was my understanding that this article that you have now elected to re-post was not one that should be taken seriously.

That is why it was deleted.

I have no idea why you are choosing to re-post it now if you concur that it is a bad article.

I do not know what is significant about that first paragraph and I am not understanding why you feel the need to re-direct attention onto this other article.

Guards were attacked - a synagogue was vandalized.

As far as I am concerned, that is the story here, and it's a lamentable one.

[Behind the Aegis]

30. And still they aren't happy.

It is still about their political axe and not the fact that a Jewish house of worship was vandalized.

[muriel_volestrangler]

58. I think it is of more concern - armed men indicate a situation that could get violent

That is more worrying than just graffiti.

[EFerrari]

96. It sounds very dangerous. n/t

[LeftishBrit]

68. This is a weird comment

Oberliner is generally very concerned about the issue of antisemitic attacks; and recently posted reports on attacks on synagogues in London and France, for example. So far as I know, this is the first time he's posted anything connected with Venezuela.

[Suji to Seoul]

31. And people wonder why alot of Jews equate criticizing Israel with anti-Semitism

This is too common, and will get very little air time.

[The abyss]

33. Can anyone say “False Flag”?

[oberliner]

34. Can you elaborate on this theory? nt

[The abyss]

35. Not a theory….

this incident appears rather “rushed”, at least to me.

When this type of thing unfolds I am always reminded of the Gleiwitz Incident.

[oberliner]

36. Well hopefully more info will be forthcoming

You think this attack may have been staged to create the appearance of hostility towards Jewish people in Venezuela?

If so, what would be the purpose behind that?

[IndianaGreen]

37. It does have that stench

A provocation against Chavez using Jews as victims. The CIA has a history of anti-Semitic operatives (Skull & Bones), and I wouldn't put it pass them to victimize innocent Jews if it furthers their goals. Their goals, in case you haven't figure it out, is to restore the ruling class to power and smash the popular revolution started by Chavez, by force if necessary.

[The abyss]

38. When an incident unfolds quickly, as this did, that is my first thought.

As to the purpose of who, why, etc… I feel there are too many “wizards” behind the curtain to tell.

“Who Benefits”?

[Behind the Aegis]

39. So "who benefits?"

There are, indeed, too many "wizards," some grand ones too.

[IndianaGreen]

40. TempleTiferet Israel was the innocent victim

No surprise that the allies of the ruling class among the bourgeoisie that happen to be Jewish have now started a PR campaign accusing Chavez.

The usual suspects are the ruling class, the oil executives pushed out of the way by Chavez, the anti-Semitic Cardinal Urosa who is now blaming Chavez attacks on the Church (or Church property to be more accurate) for planting the seeds that led on the attack by 15 armed men on Temple Tiferet. And of course, you got dead enders in the police and military that have ties and loyalty to the ancient regime.

The PR attack on Chavez (I expect Abe Foxman to add his two cents worth by tomorrow) is remarkable considering that the investigation has just begun.

[Behind the Aegis]

41. You've got it all figured out...

...despite your own damn confession: "...considering that the investigation has just begun." It is also classy how you tie other Jews into the whole conspiracy. Just remember, if you have fillings, don't chew on your :tinfoilhat:!

[IndianaGreen]

42. This is a class thing, religion is just collateral

Fifteen armed men stormed the synagogue and disarmed the two guards there. Somebody with access to guns is involved. Who benefits? It sure ain't Chavez!

BTW, here is the link to the story in which a Jewish organization in Venezuela is blaming Chavez rhetoric for creating the climate that led to this:

http://el-nacional.com/www/site/p_contenido.php?q=nodo/66455/Sociedad/Asociaciones-Israelitas-de-Venezuela-protestan-tras-ataque-a-Sinagoga

[Behind the Aegis]

43. And yet, you are still under the illusion that all attacks must end in "qui bono."

Sometimes, bigotry is the reason and "who benefits" are the hatemongers who get their jollies off and the conspiracy theorists who look for someone to blame other than those responsible.

[IndianaGreen]

44. When it comes to Latin America, of which you know little, nothing is what it appears to be

BTW, how about berating Obama for not finding out the culprits that vandalized five Jewish institutions in Chicago in one day.

[Behind the Aegis]

47. I know quite a bit about Latin America, as well as speaking the two main languages.

Seeing as you know little about me, stick to speaking for yourself and try not using too many strawmen; one doesn't know the possible side effects of straw over-use and tinfoil proximity.

[IndianaGreen]

48. Are you really going to sit by your keyboard and accuse Chavez of this?

Yes or no?

[Behind the Aegis]

49. Are you really going to sit at your keyboard and continue to fling strawmen?

Yes or no?

[IndianaGreen]

51. Considering the upcoming referendum on February 15, Chavez has much to lose if bad things happen

Chavez has been at war with the reactionary Catholic Church. The people that vandalized Temple Tiferet Israel left a picture of the devil behind. Now, who believes there is such a thing as the devil? It sure isn't the socialists that support the bolivarian revolution.

It could have been Muslims, but highly improbable considering the vandals were well armed. This only leaves someone with access to weapons. Men like the ones involved in past coups. Men with connections with, or part of, the Caracas police which Chavez does not control. Remember Caracas city hall is now in the hands of the opposition.

Who benefits? This is the question that you posed earlier. My question is who is harmed by this? In addition to the Jewish community, the only other party to be harmed by this is President Chavez. Who benefits? Chavez's opposition on the eve of crucial referendum.

The Chavez government is pursuing the culprits. Let's see what happens.

[Bacchus39]

52. Everything you said was wrong.

and YOU dare say someone else knows nothing of Latin America??

1. "who believes there is such a thing as the devil? It sure isn't the socialists that support the bolivarian revolution."

well, how can Chavez continue in power if 99% of the population are Christians?? so are you saying only one percent support the boliviarian revolution.

"Venezuelans are constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion provided that a faith is not contrary to public order or good custom. According to the latest government statistics in 2001, an estimated 70% of the population are Roman Catholic. Protestants constitute 29%, and the remaining 1% profess other religions or are atheists. Of the other religions, there are small but influential Muslim and Jewish communities. Caracas, the capital city, has a large mosque. According to government reports in 2002, Protestant churches are Venezuela's most rapidly growing segment of the religious population."

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Venezuela-RELIGIONS.html


2. who else has weapons? the police and military have weapons I believe.


3. "Remember Caracas city hall is now in the hands of the opposition."

no, I'm afraid not chamo. Chavez backers have stormed and taken over Caracas City Hall.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090131/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_embattled_mayor;_ylt=AiBkAtpwZWW.x3qJ6LXVF5a3IxIF

[EFerrari]

56. Those "Chavez backers" are protesting laid off workers.

[cali]

63. The devil is often used as a metaphor for evil

not to mention that millions of people believe in an actual devil.

[Hannah Bell]

50. bigotry takes second place to $$$$ & power.

[cali]

62. This is a hate thing

it stinks of hate.

[The abyss]

45. Too Fast, Too much spin on this story

The Venezuelan authorities are not stupid. They will slice this out.

[IndianaGreen]

46. There is a critical constitutional referendum on February 15

I suspect that we will see more "incidents" between now and then.

[Bacchus39]

53. yes, I suspect many more unusual events will occur given last years loss

when the question of term limits was decided.

[EFerrari]

54. Iirc, one of the places the coup plotters met was a Jewish community center.

When the government went back to investigate and got an order authorizing a search of the facility, there was an attempt to argue anti-Semitism although it wasn't the only facility that was investigated. Nothing was damaged or confiscated but that didn't stop the usual suspects from twisting the whole thing in the media.

I hope this has nothing to do with those people and is just a random isolated incident that will be resolved quickly.

[cali]

64. There was not, to the best of my knowledge any proof of that

there was a raid on a Jewish Community Center that turned up exactly nothing.

[EFerrari]

82. It can hardly be called a raid as nothing was taken. n/t

[oberliner]

89. What are you talking about?

Doesn't a "raid" mean a search without any warning?

[EFerrari]

94. Maybe that is parsing. What I meant was, nothing was taken or damaged

and no one was hauled away. It was as civilized as you'd want.

I actually don't remember the name Ravel or the Globovision connection or certainly not hoods. The bit that I recall is some other person who was among the original coup plotters. It's pretty clear that there was a group of men meeting at the facility who had a history of hostility to Chavez that included actual acts of subversion. Remember, the plotters were given amnesty so just about all of them were at liberty.

Another thing I've remembered this morning is that for all the claims of increasing hostility to Jews in Venezuela, there only seems to be real concern in the run up to a vote. I myself don't believe this awful incident was staged. That it will be used in the political free for all is a given, though.

[oberliner]

70. Can you share more information about this?

Coup plotters meeting in a Jewish community center? Government investigation? Did anything come of this?

[cali]

72. There have been two gov't raids on Jewish facilities in recent years

Here's the wiki description:

2004 Jewish school raid
According to the U.S. State Department, in November 2004, after Venezuelan government prosecutor Danilo Anderson was assassinated, "the Government used satirical comments made by journalist Orlando Urdaneta on a U.S. television program to allude to possible Israeli participation in Anderson's killing". The Israeli Embassy denied any Israeli involvement, cautioning that the Government representations were misleading.<16>

On November 29, 2004, at 6:30 a.m., as school children arrived at Colegio Hebraica, a Jewish grade school in Caracas, 25 members of the country's investigative police, DISIP, broke into the school, some of them armed and hooded,<17> and locked the doors with the children inside, to search the school as part of the Anderson investigation. After a three-hour search, the children were freed; police later said the search was "unfruitful" and government officials confirmed nothing had been found.<7><18><16> No-one was hurt during the search <19>.

<snip>

2007 Jewish club raid
According to the Venezuelan Confederation of Israelite Associations (CAIV, Confederación de Asociaciones Israelitas de Venezuela), agents of the DISIP secret police agency conducted a pre-dawn raid on the Hebraic Social, Cultural and Sports Center (Centro Social Cultural y Deportivo Hebraica) the day of the 2007 constitutional referendum in which Chávez's proposed constitutional and term limit reforms were defeated.<21><22><23><24> On the Tuesday following the Sunday, December 2, referendum, representatives from the CAIV published a letter saying that dozens of DISIP agents had forcibly entered the club at 12:40 a.m. on the day of the referendum, supposedly in search of weapons and drugs. According to the CAIV, the DISIP agents left after an exhaustive search, without finding any irregularities.<22>

The CAIV emphasized that the Jewish community in Venezuela had a national presence of more than 200 years of peaceful and democratic cooperation,<22> and said, "We denounce this new and unjustifiable act against the Venezuelan Jewish community, and we express our rejection and profound indignation."<21> CAIV president Abraham Levy Benshimol did however acknowledge that there had not been any violence inflicted on the Jewish community in Venezuela as yet <19>. The Latin American Jewish Congress estimated that, due to many individuals moving away to other countires, Venezuela's Jewish community had shrunk to between 12,000 and 13,000, from the estimated 22,000 people when Chávez took office in 1999.<21>

Sources within the government have claimed that the search warrant was issued based on evidence that the owner of Globovision, Federico Alberto Ravel, was collaborating with a plan to assassinate Hugo Chávez with the help of a businessman who was a member of the Hebraica Centre, and that weapons or information relating to the plot were in the club's buildings<19>.

<snip>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Venezuela#2007_Jewish_club_raid

[oberliner]

76. Thanks for the info nt

[bitchkitty]

59. Yes we will.

They're going to pull out all the stops; they're like cornered rats.

[EFerrari]

103. I'm officially designating Friday as the beginning of the campaign

when they accused Chavez of stealing an oil rig.

lol

[EFerrari]

55. The press releases exploiting this event are already flying:

AJC Concern for Venezuela Jewry on Rise After Synagogue Attack
Sat Jan 31, 2:47 pm ET

To: RELIGION EDITORS

Contact: Kenneth Bandler, Director of Public Relations and Communications, [phone], [e-mail], Ben Cohen, Associate Director of Communications, [phone], [e-mail], both of American Jewish Committee, Fax, [phone]

NEW YORK, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC today expressed deepening concerns for the security and safety of the Jewish community in Venezuela, after a brazen attack during the Sabbath on a synagogue in Caracas.

"The total disrespect of a Jewish house of worship reflects the escalating climate of hostility towards Jews in Venezuela," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. "The wanton desecration of holy books is disheartening and inexcusable."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090131/pl_usnw/ajc_concern_for_venezuela_jewry_on_rise_after_synagogue_attack

[cali]

66. Exploiting? Did it ever occur to you

that Jewish groups are genuinely upset over this? Can you grasp why they would be? Let's review: Armed men broke into a synagogue, overpowered a guard, ransacked the place and wrote threatening grafitti. And when Jewish groups react, your response is that they're simply trying to exploit what happened. Would you have the same contemptuous reaction were it a Mosque? No. You wouldn't. The fact is there is an escalating climate of hostility toward Jews, in Venezuala and other places. And wow, he said he found desecration of holy books disheartening and inexcusable. How dare he. How dare they express concern. They should just shut the fuck up.

[IndianaGreen]

77. Did AJC issue a similar statement on recent anti-Semitic vandalism in the UK?

Nyet! Gordon Brown is one of "our" boys, while Chavez is not.

As much as you may want to paint this, the dastardly attack on Temple Tiferet Israel may have been carried out by elements opposed to the Bolivarian Revolution on the eve of a crucial national referendum on Presidential term limits.

[EFerrari]

85. It's more likely that this crime is just an opportunity to pile on.

I hope in all of this, the people who actually need attention and safety get some. :mad:

[EFerrari]

84. Well, not quite The people who are genuinely concerned about this

are not sitting around sending out press releases implicating Chavez. On the contrary, they are asking for assurances from the government, ramping up their own security measures, doing damage assessments and working with the police and calling their phone trees.

Can you grasp that? Or is all that bitterness occupying both hands?

[Regret My New Name]

81. That's ridiculous...

Do they make such press releases when these things happen in the US or somewhere in Europe?

Unless there is some other events taking place in that country against Jews, then I don't see how they could make such claims.

[oberliner]

91. The same synagogue was vandalized early last month

For what that is worth.

[IndianaGreen]

93. It was spray painted in mid-January

which explains the two security guards inside that were disarmed by a heavily armed gang of 15. Venezuela is not America where everyone is armed. The only ones armed in Venezuela are the Chavez government, and Chavez' opposition (as we found out during the failed coup). Chavez has nothing to gain from this incident, so who is left?

[oberliner]

97. Where does it say that the vandals were heavily armed?

Why does someone have to "gain" from this incident?

Why can't it just be that some hateful people engaged in some hateful behavior?

[IndianaGreen]

105. un grupo de aproximadamente de 15 personas fuertemente armadas

un grupo de aproximadamente de 15 personas fuertemente armadas

http://el-nacional.com/www/site/p_contenido.php?q=nodo/66455/Sociedad/Asociaciones-Israelitas-de-Venezuela-protestan-tras-ataque-a-Sinagoga

A group of approximately 15 heavily armed persons

There is an important referendum on term limits coming up on February 15. Chavez's opposition will do anything to disrupt that, including staging attacks on Jewish interests in order to smear Chavez.

There are two groups of people with weapons: Chavez's government, and Chavez's opposition groups (we found this out during the failed coup). The fact that the vandals were 'heavily armed' plus the fact that this vandalism does not benefit Chavez in anyway, means that the culprits are probably members of the opposition.

[oberliner]

112. Thanks for the info!

Have not seen that in any of the English language reports.

[Regret My New Name]

80. That seems like a stretch to me...

When there are similar instances in other countries, such as the US, we don't assume such things. Face it, there are assholes all around the world. Given the recent events in Gaza it's not too far to think that either assholes will use that as an excuse to be assholes, or that some may be directing their anger/disagreement/whatever toward the wrong group of people in a disgusting way.

[EFerrari]

90. Anti-semitic activity seems to be up all over and that's a real cause for concern.

But there is no increasingly hostile climate for Jews in Venezuela. That's simply opposition PR. I remember that in the run up to the last referendum, the opposition pulled out this chestnut, too. They're disgusting.

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Judi Lynn]

61. It's not as if we haven't seen enough of these underhanded schemes to trick the public.

We have our own multitude of whoppers acted out for an unsuspecting, gullible public right here, don't we? Gulf of Tonkin, Operation Northwoods, signed by the Joint Chiefs but refused by John Kennedy, and ALL the crap going on in Colombia for years.

We are far more familiar with these things than most people recognize. Only the conscious ones among us ever notice.

[cali]

67. yes, the underhanded Jews attacked their own synagogue

or maybe it wasn't the Jews, it was the anti-chavez forces. Neither makes much sense. Occam's razor. The truth is anti-semitism exists. It exists in Venezuela as well as virtually every other country.

Conscious? I'm afraid not. Biased is more like it. You have zero evidence that this was done out to anything but

[ronnie624]

86. And you have no evidence that the motive was anti-Semitism.

Nor is there any cause to insinuate that one of the most honest and conscientious posters on this board is an anti-Semite. Your underhanded accusation is way off.

[oberliner]

87. No evidence the motive was anti-Semitism?

Is that sarcasm?

[ronnie624]

92. No sarcasm.

No one has yet been apprehended for the crime, therefore no real motive has yet been established. Do you have some inside information on the investigation that everyone else is unaware of?

[oberliner]

95. The anti-semitic graffiti and the choice of a synagogue as a target

Don't those elements suggest that anti-semitism is involved?

[ronnie624]

99. They suggest it, but they do not establish it with any degree of certainty. n/t

[LeftishBrit]

104. Usually the motive for attacking a synagogue is antisemitism...

if that isn't the motive, why choose a synagogue rather than any other building?

[ohio2007]

69. "the inside job" rant

[IndianaGreen]

78. BBC's account of this incident

Venezuela and Israel have had strained relations for some time, and Caracas has been fiercely critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza, which started in late December.

The Venezuelan ambassador and his staff were ordered to leave the country on 6 January, and President Hugo Chavez has urged Israelis to stand up against their government.

Israel responded by ordering Venezuelan diplomats to leave, declaring them "persona non grata in Israel" earlier this week.

But Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro condemned the "criminal act of vandalism" at the synagogue.

"We call all the Venezuelan people, the entire Venezuelan community, to reject these actions, with the same moral force with which we reject the crimes committed against the Palestinian people," he said.

Venezuelan Information Minister Jesse Chacon also condemned the attack and denied it had any connection with the government.

He said the government's "excellent relationship" with Venezuela's Jewish community was in no way affected by Israel's actions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7863356.stm

[IndianaGreen]

79. UPDATE: Israel blames Chavez (what a surprise!)

"Deploramos este ataque antisemita. Las autoridades venezolanas son las que deben asegurar el orden y la seguridad", afirmó a la AFP Ygal Palmor, portavoz del ministerio israelí de Relaciones Exteriores, quien dijo que el "pueblo venezolano no es ni racista ni antisemita".

"Este tipo de acto no podría haberse producido sin la mirada benévola de las autoridades al más alto nivel", añadió.

<snip>

"Jamás en la historia de la comunidad judía en Venezuela fuimos blanco de una agresión semejante. (...) Nos sentimos amenazados, intimidados, atacados", declaró a la AFP desde Caracas, Elia Farache, presidente de la Asociación Israelí de Venezuela.

Farache consideró que la expulsión del embajador israelí de Venezuela, el 6 de enero, y la ruptura de relaciones diplomáticas entre ambos países decidida por el presidente, Hugo Chávez, para protestar contra la ofensiva militar israelí en Gaza contribuyeron a crear el actual clima de tensión entre ambas comunidades.

El canciller venezolano, Nicolas Maduro, condenó el ataque contra la sinagoga y prometió castigar a los culpables.

http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/02/01/pol_ava_israel-denuncia-la-p_01A2211853.shtml

"We condemn this anti-Semitic attack. Venezuelan authorities are responsible for order and security," AFP was told by Ygal Palmor, spokesperson for Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who added that "the Venezuelan people is neither racist nor anti-Semitic."

"This type of attack would not have been possible without the benevolent support from authorities at the highest level," he added.

<snip>

"Never in the history of the Venezuelan Jewish community have we been targets of such an attack. (...( We feel threatened, intimidated, victimized," the AFP was told from Caracas by Elia Farache, President of the Venezuelan Israeli Association.

Farache speculated that the expulsion of Israeli ambassador on January 6, and the break in diplomatic relations between the two countries by President Chavez in protest to Israel military operations in Gaza contributed to a tense climate between both communities.

Venezuelan Chancellor Nicolas Madure condemned the attack on the synagogue and promised to punish the culprits.

[EFerrari]

88. Who could have seen that coming. n/t

[oberliner]

100. This article does not say that Israel blames Chavez for this incident

I don't know why you are claiming that it does.

[EFerrari]

101. It does, though:

"This type of attack would not have been possible without the benevolent support from authorities at the highest level," he added.

[oberliner]

106. That quote does not mention Chavez

It also does not blame anyone in particular.

[IndianaGreen]

107. Are you purposely dense or what?

:puke:

[oberliner]

111. Chavez condemns attack on Caracas synagogue, blames opposition

"We condemn the actions on the synagogue of Caracas," Chavez said in a televised speech on Sunday. "It must be asked ... who benefits from these violent incidents. It is not the government, nor the people, nor the revolution."

In an often cryptic response, he suggested opposition leaders plotted the attack to reduce his chances in a February 15 referendum on a constitutional amendment that would let him stay in office after his term ends in 2013.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1060353.html

His remarks are similar to yours. I'm just trying to figure all of this out! I am not well-versed in Venezuelan politics.

[IndianaGreen]

113. And I told you in post 105 the vandals were heavily armed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3716964&mesg_id=3717986

in response to your question.

Nothing in Venezuela is what it appears!

[EFerrari]

117. Oh, I think it is. Every time there is a vote, all this cr@p is thrown

at the Chavez government. You can set your watch by it.

The poor people who were frightened by this act, which I believe probably did happen, are forgotten as the politicking ramps up.

Watch. In the next week, Chavez -- who has already been accused of stealing that oil rig and now this, will be accused of collaborating with FARC, making illegal deals with Iran and plotting to destabilize Colombia with Cuban kittens. I'm not kidding!

[IndianaGreen]

123. And as Haaretz said yesterday, 'Hamas is Chavista!'

This is the crap we expect, and get, everytime there is an important electoral event in Venezuela. If Chavez were the dictator he is often accused of being, there wouldn't be any need to hold elections or referenda of any kind.

[EFerrari]

128. I missed that. Do you have a link?

Double jeopardy by association!

[IndianaGreen]

130. Nyet! And I looked just now.

It was a headline at bottom of page, where they normally have opinion pieces and comments. Not there today!

However, no Chavista would allude to '666' as the graffiti in synagogue shows:

[EFerrari]

132. Yeah, that would be out of character. Where do you get 15 armed men

to do something like that? None of this adds up. I know some of you think it's the opposition and it may be. Unless there's some secret anti-semitic gang or club around but, why do they only show up before a vote? :shrug:

[IndianaGreen]

134. Venezuela is not America when it comes to gun ownership

Chavez has guns, as does the opposition (they used them in the lead up to the coup). Your average neo-nazis are not armed, like they are in America.

[IndianaGreen]

115. Marxism is opposed to anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia

The Venezuelan elites are rightwing Catholics, Opus Dei taught and led, with a long history of anti-Semitism. They will stoop at nothing to undermine the Bolivarian revolution. Abe Foxman of ADL oftentimes puts his class interests ahead of what he is supposed to be doing, so he freely and often condemns Chavez while keeping mum on incidents in countries friendly to US corporate interests.

[EFerrari]

118. And the Chavez government drives them nuts by marching in Pride parades

and setting women up in business with micro loans. He really is their worst nightmare. I want to know where Mr. Foxman is between elections?

[IndianaGreen]

121. We should take a look at Abe Foxman's investment portfolio.

Class interests will trump everything else, and the bourgeoisie will always ally itself with the ruling classes in order to avoid becoming part of the working class.

[oberliner]

124. Why does an article about an attack on a synagogue result in an attack on Abe Foxman?

That's what I don't understand.

Please note that there is nothing in the CNN piece posted that makes any mention of anything other than the actual synagogue attack itself.

[IndianaGreen]

126. There is a history with Foxman

involving Venezuela, perhaps prompted by some financial interests of his. Just leave it at that, but longtime DU Chavistas are well aware of Foxman's selective outrage when it comes to Latin America.

[EFerrari]

129. Gotcha. There's two different things going on here.

One, as you and I have both seen over the last month, there has been a spike in acts of anti-semitism in general. There is no question that they are a cause for concern.

Two, this particular incident in Venezuela is being used for political purposes. WhatEVER happens in Venezuela in the next week will go the same way. Last Friday, it was Chavez stole an oil rig -- which he didn't. This weekend, he's being accused of allowing or encouraging anti-semitic hate crimes. By Tuesday, I promise you it will be something else.

The voting is on 2/15.

So, that's why this incident is being talked about as an event in the context of the upcoming referendum. And that's sad because I'm sure that there is a better use of public attention in response to what happened. But, nothing in Venezuela will get attention in the next few weeks without being somehow attached to the upcoming vote.

You might measure the response to this one incident and all the media it's getting in comparison to other such acts that are getting no or little attention at all. . .

[IndianaGreen]

133. A total of 250 anti-Semitic acts around the world were recorded in January 2009

How come the one incident in Caracas is the one getting such attention?

A total of 250 anti-Semitic acts around the world were recorded in January 2009, according to a Jewish Agency report released on Sunday. This marks a dramatic leap from the 80 cases recorded during the same time last year.

<snip>

Earlier this month in Toulouse, France, assailants rammed a burning car into the gates of a synagogue, causing damage but no injuries. That same day in southern Sweden, a Jewish congregation was attacked when someone broke a window and threw a burning object inside.

In the United States, vandals used shaving cream to paint swastikas on a Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, and shattered one of its windows in mid-January.

France, home to one of the world's largest Muslim and Jewish populations, saw one of the most notable increases in the number anti-Semitic attacks since the beginning of Israel's offensive in Gaza.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058555.html

Only when it involves Venezuela, does the head of state gets blamed. What are the financial interests of those obsessed with the Caracas incident, while they ignore the other 249 incidents elsewhere?

[oberliner]

119. What does Marxism have to do with anything?

Are you saying that the Venezuelan government is Marxist?

[IndianaGreen]

120. The Venezuelan government describes itself as Socialist

The Bolivarian Revolution is Marxist.

Hello? Where have you been?

[oberliner]

122. Not up on the politics of the region

As I said, I am open to any suggested reading.

[IndianaGreen]

125. You should frequent the Common Dreams web page

http://www.commondreams.org/

Lots of good progressive articles there, with links to peace and progressive organizations.

[EFerrari]

127. It's about the most naked class war I've ever seen

which may be a large part of my interest in it. For example, when the oligarchy decided to use "students hate Chavez" as a PR strategy, they forgot to have their children wear normal clothes so the resulting group of "protesters" were wearing designer clothes and high heels! The Gucci protesters.

They've gotten more slick over time about these details and have managed to get the media to count all student marchers as anti-Chavez when the majority march in support. It's quite amazing.

You might want to take a look at the video that runs down the coup. A group of Irish filmmakers were on site to interview Chavez and they wound up filming the coup instead. They documented how the media outlets owned by the oligarchy conspired to overthrow the government, lied to the people that Chavez had resigned, edited news reports and hosted the takeover in their studios.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Revolution_Will_Not_Be_Televised_(documentary)

[IndianaGreen]

131. Those 'students' are being schooled in expensive private Catholic schools

and like good Pope Benedict puppets, they will demonstrate when told to.

Public school students support Chavez, as do their parents.

[EFerrari]

108. That's just bad reading. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

109. "authorities at the highest level" is diplomatic babble for head of state

And you know how Israel's MFA is careful in its use of language.

[EFerrari]

110. Of course it is. n/t

[oberliner]

114. That did not seem evident to me

I do not know the structural realities of the government of Venezuela.

If someone had made a remark like that vis-a-vis the US, I would not have thought they necessarily meant Obama.

[EFerrari]

116. The highest level of any structure is the highest level. There is no ambiguity there.

[IndianaGreen]

135. Israel denounces the desecration of the main synagogue of Caracas (translated from Spanish)

Source: El Universal

Israel denuncia la profanación de la principal sinagoga de Caracas

"Deploramos este ataque antisemita. Las autoridades venezolanas son las que deben asegurar el orden y la seguridad", afirmó a la AFP Ygal Palmor, portavoz del ministerio israelí de Relaciones Exteriores, quien dijo que el "pueblo venezolano no es ni racista ni antisemita".

"Este tipo de acto no podría haberse producido sin la mirada benévola de las autoridades al más alto nivel", añadió.

<snip>

"Jamás en la historia de la comunidad judía en Venezuela fuimos blanco de una agresión semejante. (...) Nos sentimos amenazados, intimidados, atacados", declaró a la AFP desde Caracas, Elia Farache, presidente de la Asociación Israelí de Venezuela.

Farache consideró que la expulsión del embajador israelí de Venezuela, el 6 de enero, y la ruptura de relaciones diplomáticas entre ambos países decidida por el presidente, Hugo Chávez, para protestar contra la ofensiva militar israelí en Gaza contribuyeron a crear el actual clima de tensión entre ambas comunidades.

El canciller venezolano, Nicolas Maduro, condenó el ataque contra la sinagoga y prometió castigar a los culpables.

Read more: http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/02/01/pol_ava_israel-denuncia-la-p_01A2211853.shtml

---

My humble translation of this article:

Israel denounces the desecration of the main synagogue of Caracas

"We condemn this anti-Semitic attack. Venezuelan authorities are responsible for order and security," AFP was told by Ygal Palmor, spokesperson for Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who added that "the Venezuelan people is neither racist nor anti-Semitic."

"This type of attack would not have been possible without the benevolent support from authorities at the highest level," he added.

<snip>

"Never in the history of the Venezuelan Jewish community have we been targets of such an attack. (...) We feel threatened, intimidated, victimized," the AFP was told from Caracas by Elia Farache, President of the Venezuelan Israeli Association.

Farache speculated that the expulsion of Israeli ambassador on January 6, and the break in diplomatic relations between the two countries by President Chavez in protest to Israel military operations in Gaza contributed to a tense climate between both communities.

Venezuelan Chancellor Nicolas Madure condemned the attack on the synagogue and promised to punish the culprits.

[Hulk]

136. Well DOH! Did you expect the world to just accept your Nazi actions ...

...against Palestine without ANY repercussions? FOOLS!!

I have zero sympathy for any reactions that Israel gets as a result of their needless slaughter of innocent men, women and children of Palestine.

I don't encourage such actions, but I sure can understand them occurring.

[IndianaGreen]

138. Venezuelan Jews are not responsible for Gaza!

My suspicious nature tells me that the attack on Temple Tiferet Israel may have been carried out by anti-Chavista provocateurs, using innocent Jews as targets. The reason I suspect that is that the attackers were well armed. This is why I doubt that this is your typical anti-Semitic vandalism, an explosion of which we have seen across the world since the Gaza war.

[Sandrine for you]

141. Yes, it help the opposition and Israel who want new immigration...

[IndianaGreen]

142. I think this is related to an anti-Chavista group

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/02/20092141341453312.html

Chavez is seen as the anti-Christ by the Opus Dei-run Catholic Church in Venezuela. Chavistas don't use symbols like '666' in sloganeering.

[MUAD_DIB]

151. You're right, and this is deplorable, but the old saying about

and eye for an eye crosses all cultures and countries.

[struggle4progress]

139. Unable to distinguish between a religion and a nation, eh?

[LeftishBrit]

145. What Nazi actions have Venezuelan Jews committed?

You sound like the right-wingers who defend attacks on Muslims because some Muslim groups have perpetrated terrorist attacks. Or do you think that's acceptable too?

[Indenturedebtor]

149. Yes I agree. All Christians the world over should be terrorised for the actions of Bush

Good thinking.

You clearly encourage and cheer at such "actions". Saying "psyche" at the end of your statement doesn't make it all go away.

[Scurrilous]

137. ADL Condemns Violent Attack on Caracas Synagogue

New York, NY, January 31, 2009 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today condemned the violent attack on a Caracas synagogue and called on President Hugo Chavez to promptly and publicly denounce this heinous anti-Jewish hate crime and to quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

Just days after the international community commemorated the Holocaust in ceremonies of remembrance throughout the world, a synagogue in Caracas was the scene of a modern day Kristallnacht. For five hours, violent anti-Semites profaned and vandalized the most sacred space and objects of Jewish life, leaving behind graffiti that said “Get out,” “Death to All,” and “Damn Israel, Death.” This violent attack occurring on the Jewish Sabbath is reminiscent of the darkest days leading to the Shoah, when Jews were attacked and synagogues and Torahs vandalized and destroyed under the guard of the Nazi regime.

Sadly, this is not a random event in Venezuela; it is directly related to the atmosphere of anti-Jewish intimidation promoted by President Chavez and his government apparatus. The time has come for Mr. Chavez to abandon the official government rhetoric of demonization of Israel and Jews and to publicly denounce this wanton act of anti-Semitic violence. President Chavez must ensure that his government quickly brings the perpetrators to justice.

We call upon President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina to insist that Mr. Chavez live up to the commitments he made in the joint Declaration Against Racism he recently signed with them, which includes an obligation to combat anti-Semitism.

ADL stands with the Confederación de Asociaciones Israelitas de Venezuela (CAIV) in these difficult times and we join in their appeal to the Venezuelan government to guarantee the protection of all of its citizens including the Jewish community of Venezuela.

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/5460_13.htm

[IndianaGreen]

140. I predicted this yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3716964#3717248

I will add that despite Foxman and ADL's good work, he has been dismally wrong on Venezuela a lot.

Where is ADL's statement calling on Obama to condemn the anti-Semitic attacks (5) in Chicago this past Saturday, or Gordon Brown for similar incidents in UK?

[pjt7]

143. Israel inflicts severe damage on Palestinians

& doesn't think there will be ugly consequences?

[IndianaGreen]

144. There has been an upsurge in anti-Semitism since Gaza, BUT only Chavez gets blamed

for the second incident at Temple Tiferet Israel, while neither Obama gets blamed for the 5 vandalism incidents in Chicago on Saturday, or Gordon Brown for similar incidents in the UK, or even Erdogan for far more serious incidents in Istanbul.

BTW, I found out that a few days earlier people got out of cars and spray painted hate messages outside Temple Tiferet Israel, which may explain why there were two security guards inside (they were disarmed by the 'heavily' armed men that vandalized the synagogue). Venezuela is not the US where everyone has a gun.

[pjt7]

146. Israel needs to look at their own soul to

find the source of this problem & not blame Obama or Chavez (IMO)

[IndianaGreen]

148. Israel is not a monolith, and there is no such thing as a soul

The Venezuelan authorities just began their investigation, so they should be afforded the same time and courtesy we have afforded authorities in Europe and the US fro similar recent incidents. I fear that if the opposition is involved, that the authorities will hit a brick wall as they have before in incidents involving violence against pro-Chavez groups.

The Venezuelan Jewish community deserve our support after what was described as their 'Darkest Day.' At the same time, we must recognize that there are other players with other agendas that would not hesitate to target Jews if it helps undermine the Bolivarian Revolution.

As to Israel, we must support the progressive forces within Israel that are fighting for peace.

[LeftishBrit]

150. How is Israel to blame for attacks on Venezuelan Jews?

It may well be local thugs, and nothing to do with Chavez/ the government. We shall no doubt know more in the end about the perpetrators! (Most governments could doubtless do more than they do to prevent such crimes.) But Venezuelan Jews do NOT deserve to be attacked for any actions by Israel.

(Edited because ambiguities in my post could be interpreted as meaning a suspicion of the Venezuelan government in particular, which was not my intention.)

[EFerrari]

153. What in the world do you mean, "we shall see"?

The Chavez government has ZERO history of any kind of persecution of any minority. On the contrary, they have a good record of defending minority rights.

It's exactly this kind of casual innuendo that is unhelpful to everyone in the situation.

[LeftishBrit]

155. I would say this about ANY government! (Not that they are instigating violence, but that they might

turn a blind eye to it.)

I don't have it in for Chavez. I'm not enthusiastic about him; but I think he's much better than anyone that the Bushies would like to see in his place.

[Indenturedebtor]

147. Gazans inflict severe terror and attempt severe damage on Israel

and don't think that there will be any consequences? :eyes:

Besides, all Jews are not Israelis, and we also aren't beaming thought control waves into your skull.

PS: we didn't sour your milk either. You should check the expiration date before you buy it... I like to buy the milk at the back of the case because that's where they load in the fresh stuff... from the back.

[LeftishBrit]

152. Why should anyone expect 'ugly consequences' to the Venezuelan Jews?

The Venezuelan Jews are not Israelis. And, for that matter, the perpetrators of this outrage are not Palestinians and have not in any way been damaged by Israel.

[EFerrari]

154. You added Venezuela to the poster's remarks. In fact, anti-semitic

acts and crimes seem to be up in a lot of places and that is certainly cause for alarm.

But this one in Venezuela is getting all the attention.

Why is that, in your opinion?

[oberliner]

157. I don't see this incident getting very much attention at all

It seems to have gotten about the same attention as the other similar incidents in other countries.

None of the major news sites makes any mention of this attack on their home pages.

[EFerrari]

158. So, where are all the LBN posts about Germany, Itally and France?

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3993725,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/international_news/survey_finds_anti-jewish_bias_among_italians/10322

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090130/wl_nm/us_france_jews_attacks

[oberliner]

161. They sink because no one derails them into an argument about Hugo Chavez!

Here are two incidents I posted about:

Synagogue set alight during rise in anti-Semitic attacks in London

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4774740

Burning car rams synagogue door in France

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4774711

[EFerrari]

166. Did the Israeli government accuse those heads of state as well?

Probably not.

In truth, that was one of the fears I had about the bombing in Gaza, that these incidents would increase worldwide.

[oberliner]

171. Your claim was about the stories not being posted on DU

Or of this one getting more attention.

I provided those examples to dispute that claim.

Edit to add: I encourage you to help bring more attention to other incidents of anti-semitism around the world if this is a subject that interests you.

[EFerrari]

174. No, I asked where the links were to the stories in other places.

The links you provided aren't LBN, although I salute you for posting those stories.

There seems to be something going on in Iceland, btw, but the only source right now is a right wing one.

[oberliner]

176. Have they blamed the Jews for the economic meltdown over there?

Or it the anniversary of Bobby Fischer's death?

[EFerrari]

180. I don't want to link to the site. But it seems to be about soldarity

with Hamas. It's impossible to know until there is a better source.

[LeftishBrit]

167. Here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3684550

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3686956

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3664163


And a couple of such news items posted in GD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3679571

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4774740

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4774759


Several of the threads were posted by the OP of this thread, which clearly indicates that his concern is with antisemitism in general, not with Venezuela.

As a Brit, I'm often surprised by the emotions, positive and negative, that Chavez arouses in Americans. I realize that Venezuela is much closer geographically to the USA than the UK; but in any case, we certainly don't have nearly such strong feelings about him here. I came on the thread because of a general interest in antisemitism and in xenophobia more broadly - not because of any particular interest in Chavez, one way or another.

[EFerrari]

169. Of the three LBN links you posted, two happened weeks ago.

The links I posted are current today.

Has the Israeli government denounced Obama yet over the crimes in Chicago? I think not.

[LeftishBrit]

160. I added it ONLY to make the point that the Jews concerned had nothing to do with Israel.

I have made a similar point on other threads about antisemitic attacks elsewhere:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4774740#4774906


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4774711#4775337

I have not in fact noticed that the Venezuela incident is getting more attention than those in Europe or America; but I am British not American and our media may have a different emphasis.

[oberliner]

163. It is not getting more attention in the American media

The only place it is getting more attention is in this thread!

[EFerrari]

172. No, it's being spammed pretty good.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/bloggish/item/synagogue_attack_in_venzuela_20090201/

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=awS6lmJ_P19Y

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01305743.htm

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090201/tpl-uk-venezuela-israel-sb-43a8d4f.html

http://www.pal-item.com/article/20090201/UPDATES/90131027/1008/rss

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/253690,jewish-group-decries-vandalism-at-venezuelan-synagogue.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/world/americas/01webvenez.html?em

http://www.thestate.com/world/story/670100.html?RSS=untracked

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/world/story/508934.html

[oberliner]

175. About the same as the other similar incidents in Europe

Google the car ramming the synagogue in France for instance.

[EFerrari]

178. Do you have a search? I get exactly 2 links and that can't be right.

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news;_ylt=A9j8eu3VKoZJ.DYBKxzQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBhNjRqazhxBHNlYwNzZWFyY2g-?p=car+ramming+synagogue+France&c=&ei=UTF-8&datesort=1&fr=yfp-t-501&x=wrt

[oberliner]

179. Try this

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=france+rams+synagogue&btnG=Search

[EFerrari]

181. That works better and frankly, I'm glad these things get press.

But the incident in Venezuela is getting the wrong kind of attention. No one is asking if everyone is all right or what can be done to make everyone safe. It's being used to ramp up a political fight:

"The Anti-Defamation League issued a response to the vandalization of Caracas' oldest synagogue saying it was "a modern day Kristallnacht" and "reminiscent of the darkest days leading to the Shoah.""

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1060353.html

[Judi Lynn]

182. Good grief! What an odd comparison. Apparently someone's memory needs a nudge.

This Wikipedia is a very superficial version of WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED in the real Kristallnacht:

'Kristallnacht (German pronunciation: ; literally "Crystal night") or the Night of Broken Glass or "night of shattered crystal" was a pogrom in Nazi Germany on November 9–10, 1938. On a single night, 91 Jews were murdered and 25,000–30,000 were arrested and deported to concentration camps.<1><2> It is often called Novemberpogrom or Reichspogromnacht in German.

The Nazis coordinated an attack on Jewish people and their property in Germany and German-controlled lands as a part of Führer Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic policy.<3>

The consequences of this violence were disastrous for the Jews under the Third Reich. In a single night, Kristallnacht saw the destruction of more than 200 synagogues and the ransacking of thousands of Jewish businesses and homes. A business originally ran by a Jew wasn't allowed to reopen unless managed by a non-Jew. It marked the beginning of the systematic eradication of a people who could trace their ancestry in Germany to Ancient Rome and served as a prelude to the Holocaust that was to follow.<4><5>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristallnacht

This tells us all we'd need to know about what's going on here! Someone is REALLY playing this for all the political juice he can manage.

[oberliner]

184. Tis quite the hyperbole

People on all sides are so quick to go to the Nazi Germany analogies.

It is very frustrating.

[EFerrari]

168. The Israeli government is accusing Chavez of authorizing these attacks

in some way. And yes, Venezuela is getting much more attention than any of those other incidents because Chavez has a target on his back.

[EFerrari]

183. Well, you might tell that to the Israeli government who lost no time

in insinuating, as you did, that this horrible act was sponsored by Chavez.

And meanwhile, the Jewish community in Venezuela is being trampled by the politicking.

[Posteritatis]

186. Right, because a synagogue in Venezuela's sooooo Israel (nt)

[IndianaGreen]

156. A total of 250 anti-Semitic acts around the world were recorded in January 2009

How come the one incident in Caracas is the one getting such attention?

A total of 250 anti-Semitic acts around the world were recorded in January 2009, according to a Jewish Agency report released on Sunday. This marks a dramatic leap from the 80 cases recorded during the same time last year.

<snip>

Earlier this month in Toulouse, France, assailants rammed a burning car into the gates of a synagogue, causing damage but no injuries. That same day in southern Sweden, a Jewish congregation was attacked when someone broke a window and threw a burning object inside.

In the United States, vandals used shaving cream to paint swastikas on a Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, and shattered one of its windows in mid-January.

France, home to one of the world's largest Muslim and Jewish populations, saw one of the most notable increases in the number anti-Semitic attacks since the beginning of Israel's offensive in Gaza.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058555.html

Only when it involves Venezuela, does the head of state gets blamed. What are the financial interests of those obsessed with the Caracas incident, while they ignore the other 249 incidents elsewhere?

[oberliner]

159. I think you are giving it more attention than anyone!

Honestly, it's getting about the same amount of attention as other similar incidents.

ADL Condemns Vandalism at Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

ADL Condemns Outburst Of Anti-Semitism in Argentina

ADL Calls On European Leaders To Condemn Explosion Of Anti-Semitic Rhetoric

and so on.

[EFerrari]

165. No, it's political and it's concerted and it's bullshit:

''We are seeing expressions of anti-Semitism in several countries in the region, but most of them come from marginal groups,'' Dina Siegel Vann, head of the New York-based American Jewish Committee's Latin American affairs, told me on Wednesday. ``But Venezuela is the only county with a systematic campaign sponsored by the state.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/andres-oppenheimer/story/877455.html

[oberliner]

170. Interesting piece

Glad to hear the accusations about the media in those countries is not true!

I must tell you that I have read many more articles decrying antisemitism in Europe than in Latin America.

[EFerrari]

173. Most of these spats are time sensitive, as this one is re the vote on the 15th.

And what gets lost is the people who suffered through the actual incident.

[The abyss]

162. This puts it into perspective.

[oberliner]

164. More attention should be paid to those other incidents as well

Disgusting that so many hateful acts are being perpetrated around the world against Jewish people just because they happen to be Jewish.

[The abyss]

177. There is a machine at work here.

Drawing that machine into view has always been difficult. These incidents regarding points south are perhaps the best examples of how the machine works. If we observe this incident and watch the worldwide MSM reports we get good information. The fact that Indiana Green predicted this response from the ADL should tell us that we are beginning to predict the machine’s actions.

Venezuela is in a rather unique state of flux. Add in the power of the internet, add in bilingual readers, and add in boards like DU…. . If I were working for the machine I would be getting rather worried.

[IndianaGreen]

185. Update: National Prosecutor appointed to investigate synagogue attack

According to Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, Christian Quijada has been appointed prosecutor in the case. Quijada will oversee the investigation and prosecute the culprits after they are caught.

Link (Spanish):

El Nacional

[Prometheus Bound]

187. Chavez condemns attack on synagogue (asks 'Who benefits?')

2 hours ago

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez on Sunday condemned a recent attack on a Venezuela synagogue, suggesting that his political foes were responsible for the incident.

An armed group vandalized Caracas' oldest synagogue, shattering religious objects and spray-painting walls on Friday amid Venezuela's diplomatic spat with Israel over its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Leaders of Venezuela's estimated 15,000-member Jewish community said vocal denunciations of Israel by Chavez and the country's state and pro-government news media may have encouraged Friday's attack — which they called the worst ever on their community in Venezuela.

"We condemn the actions on the synagogue of Caracas," Chavez said in a televised speech.

The president suggested instead that Venezuela's "oligarchy" — wealthy power brokers who oppose his socialist government — could have been behind the attack.

"Who benefits from these violent incidents? It is not the government, nor the people, nor the revolution," he said.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtn-eKCuZkBTNseL3zoiYIX0XFGwD963463O0

[Prometheus Bound]

188. Protesters in N.Y. point finger at Chavez in Caracas attack

By Ben Harris · February 3, 2009

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Ruben Kliksberg awoke Saturday morning questioning everything he had once assumed about the security of the Jewish community in his native Venezuela.

The Caracas-born, American-educated hedge fund employee says the country's Jews, like their American counterparts, are well integrated and contribute “massively” to their society. His father was awarded a government honor for his work combating poverty.

“I woke up on Saturday morning and all of that had changed in six hours,” Klisberg told JTA.

....Both Kliksberg and American Jewish leaders said they were alarmed about the possibility of future attacks because the intruders stole computers and administrative documentation.

David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, sounded a vague warning about the intentions of the vandals.

“They wanted information from the synagogue about the Jewish community,” Harris said in his speech at the rally. “They wanted names and addresses. Why? Why? Why in 2009 would people seek that information? You know and we know, and we have to say 'no' by our presence and by our voices.”

Kliksberg said the Venezuelan Jewish community feels lonely and its members no longer trust the government to protect it. Many believe they are being presented with a choice: their religious heritage or their country.

“For the first time in their lives in Venezuela, they are being asked to decide,” Kliksberg said. “And that's not fair.”

...more at
http://jta.org/news/article/2009/02/03/1002741/jewish-leaders-hold-chavez-responsible-for-synagogue-attack

[Judi Lynn]

189. It's a little late to call back all the lies connecting the Chavez administration

to this crime, too late to keep some people from seizing the opportunity to try to vilify Hugo Chavez, to label and smear him, but it appears this matter is closed for good.

See the post placed in the Latin America forum by new DU poster, rabs, a totally fluent Spanish speaker for a long time, taken from opposition newspaper in Caracas, a paper which participated in the coup against Chavez in 2002:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x11460#11522

[IndianaGreen]

190. They never apologize for anything!

Instead they will start some other shit about Chavez being this or being that.

Abe Foxman is still pissed about his Venezuelan investments.