Israel–Venezuela Relations

Israeli–Venezuelan relations refer to foreign relations between Israel and Venezuela. Both countries have no formal relations since 2009 but since the 2019 presidential crisis, self-declared interim president Juan Guaidó is currently under the process to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries. Canada serves as Israel's ''protecting power'' in Venezuela through its embassy in Caracas, while Spain serves as Venezuela's ''protecting power'' in Israel through its embassy in Tel Aviv.

Venezuela voted in favor of Israeli membership in the United Nations in 1949, and established diplomatic ties.

Though relations between the two countries were traditionally strong, they have soured considerably under the presidency of Hugo Chávez, in relating to Chávez's convictions regarding the 2006 Lebanon War, and partly due to Chávez's foreign policy relating to Iran and Israel's political opposition to it. Chávez also positioned himself on the world stage as opposed to American foreign policy — the US and Israel are partners in defense and international relations, specifically relating to the Middle East. In the wake of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, Venezuela broke all diplomatic ties with Israel, condemning its actions. On April 27, 2009, Venezuelan foreign minister (and future president) Nicolás Maduro met with Palestinian National Authority foreign affairs minister Riyad al-Maliki in Caracas, where formal diplomatic relations were established.

History

Venezuela voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine on November 29, 1947, and established diplomatic ties with Israel later on.Krusch, David
The Virtual Jewish History Tour: Venezuela.
Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Accessed 13 August 2006.

Venezuela's first representative in Israel, Romulo Araujo, arrived in 1959/60 and was based in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. A year later, the mission was located in the Katamon neighborhood at 28 Rachel Imenu, where it stayed until 1980. In 1962 ties were upgraded, so that full ambassadors were exchanged. From 1960 to 1964 Vincente Gerbasi, a poet, served as the Venezuelan representative and ambassador. He was replaced by Pedro Abreu, and in 1969/70 Napoleon Gimenez took over. In 1980, when Venezuela and many other nations chose to move their embassies outside of Jerusalem, Luis La Corte was the ambassador. In 1962, Gerbasi presented an Arab village with a tractor from Venezuela. During the Six-Day War many Venezuelan Jews went to Israel to fight for Israel.

When the United Nations passed General Assembly Resolution 3379 on November 10, 1975, "determin ngthat Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination", Venezuela abstained. The resolution was later revoked in 1991.

Milos Alcalay served as Venezuela's Ambassador to Israel from 1992 to 1995. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres visited Caracas in January 1995, during the second Caldera administration, to "cement ties with friendly countries, and to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual benefit". Venezuela's Foreign Minister noted that "The reception that was given for Foreign Minister Peres was unprecedented."

Recent relations

In 2005, the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee reported "an active Israeli embassy in Caracas and modest but growing bilateral trade."Harris, David A.
Letter from Caracas.
American Jewish Committee, 20 October 2005. Accessed April 3, 2008.

2005 F-16 deal

In 2005, Israel had an agreement with Venezuela to service and upgrade its U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets, but the Sharon administration angered the U.S. State Department when it sold aerial drones to China.U.S.-Israel Defense Relations on Mend But New American Veto Policy Crimps Israeli Arms Sales.
JINSA: Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, November 10, 2005. Accessed August 13, 2006. In October 2005, the State Department prevented the Israeli-Venezuelan F-16 deal by refusing to grant export licensing approval to the Israeli government. JINSA reported that the State Department "request d the Israeli government end all military contracts with Venezuela that involved U.S.-derived technology and refrain from future sales of Israeli military technology to Venezuela.

2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

In response to the Israeli airstrike of Qana, on July 31, Vice President José Vicente Rangel said, "This murder of dozens of women and children has no justification whatsoever. The UN and other powerful nations shared blame for the attack because they had responded to Israel's military campaign in Palestine and Lebanon with silence and omissions. Venezuela has never had any anti-Jewish attitudes, recognizes the existence of Israel as a state, welcomes the Jewish community and guarantees its total respect."Roundup: Latin American countries condemn Israeli brutal attack on Lebanon. ''People's Daily Online'', July 31, 2006. Availabl
here.
Accessed 14 August 2006.

Al Jazeera's Dima Khatib, reported that Chávez was the first head of state to harshly condemn Israel over the Israeli-Lebanon conflict, even before any Arab or Muslim country.Khatib, Dima.
Winning Arab hearts and minds.
''Al Jazeera'', 18 August 2006. Accessed April 3, 2008. On August 3, 2006 Chávez ordered the Venezuelan charge d'affaires to Israel to return from Tel Aviv to Caracas, protesting the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. According to ''The Miami Herald

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