CARACAS – Representatives of Venezuela’s Jewish community met with President Hugo Chavez and expressed their wish for the renewal of ties between Venezuela and Israel, suspended since January 2009.

Chavez received the Jewish representatives at Miraflores presidential palace where they had a “sincere” meeting, the president of the Confederation of Jewish Associations of Venezuela, Salomon Cohen, told reporters.

In a message on his Twitter account, the Venezuelan president told his “dear sister” and Argentine colleague, Cristina Fernandez, that he had “an extraordinary meeting with the rabbi and representatives of the Jewish community in Venezuela.”

“We ended up embracing one another and praying for peace. Thank you, Cristina, for your invaluable help. All my best to Argentina,” Chavez said in another message.

Chavez announced on Sept. 8 that he would meet with Venezuela’s Jewish community and noted that Fernandez had said how happy she was about the encounter.

The Thursday conference with Chavez enabled the Jewish community to discuss with the president three topics they consider important and about which they are awaiting a reply, Cohen told reporters at the entrance to Miraflores palace.

One of these points “was to express our wish for the reestablishment of ties with the government of Israel,” the Jewish representative said.

Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in January 2009 because of Israel’s military offensive against Gaza, in which more than 1,400 Palestinians died, most of them civilians.

Cohen said that he also gave the head of state “a complete file” of recent anti-Semitic incidents and statements in Venezuela.

Another point discussed was the Jewish community’s wish for “greater security” in the country, the leader said, at the same time expressing his gratitude to the government for “the security it has provided for synagogues in recent times.”

“The meeting had an important spiritual content, we spoke with complete sincerity on both sides, we set forth our objections and observations and received from the president – and I believe he is the one indicated to give it – the promise to study everything we presented to him,” Cohen said.

The Jewish representative also mentioned the fine level of communications being maintained with Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and said that with the Thursday meeting, “a door has been opened” toward improving the exchange of information with other ministries.

For his part, Maduro, who was also at the meeting, saw the occasion as marked by “understanding” and “brotherhood.”

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=366912&CategoryId=10717

Submitted by andie531 on Sat, 2010-09-18 09:02

• andie531's blog
• Login or register to post comments
• 269 reads
•