ANTISEMITISM IN VENEZUELA: SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER PROTESTS TO THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

January 29, 2009

 

 

ANTISEMITISM IN VENEZUELA: SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER  PROTESTS TO THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

The Simon Wiesenthal Center today, on behalf of its 400,000 members, called upon Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) to take action against the outrageous anti-Semitic campaign taking place in Venezuela, one of its member states.   The letter from the Center’s founder and dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, read in part: “Under the presidency of Hugo Chavez, the Jewish community of Venezuela has suffered repeated attacks, which were, at least tolerated, if not incited or promoted by State officials….This anti-Semitic campaign increased under the pretext of the recent war between Israel and Hamas.”

Though disguised as a pretended “anti-Zionist” campaign, Rabbi Hier said, an article published in the pro-government, digital newspaper Aporrea.org entitled “How to Support Palestine Against the Artificial State of Israel?” provided a plan of action against the Venezuelan Jewish community. Examples included: publicly denouncing members of Jewish groups in Venezuela and boycotting their companies and businesses; confiscating the properties of Jews who support Israel and donating the proceeds to the Palestinians; promoting the worldwide hacking of “pro-Zionist” websites as well as websites from governments or institutions which have favorable relations with Israel; and convening an international conference on the creation of the "Nazi" state of Israel as a genocidal European colony.

 “…We believe it is time for the OAS to take action on this outrageous situation which makes a mockery of democratic and civil liberties and guarantees. We urge you to establish an OAS special field mission… to immediately investigate the situation…and recommend punitive action against all those who are responsible for this campaign of hatred against the Jewish people,” concluded Rabbi Hier.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).

For more information, please contact the Center's Public Relations Department, 310-553-9036.