Rising Anti-Semitism in Venezuela

The Gathering Storm, July 10, 2008

July 10, 2008

In an article in the latest issue of Commentary Magazine, Travis Pantin describes the surge of anti-Semitism in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez:

...Since Chávez took the oath of office at the beginning of 1999, there has been an unprecedented surge in anti-Semitism throughout Venezuela. Government-owned media outlets have published anti-Semitic tracts with increasing frequency. Pro-Chávez groups have publicly disseminated copies of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion , the early-20th-century czarist forgery outlining an alleged worldwide Jewish conspiracy to seize control of the world. Prominent Jewish figures have been publicly denounced for supposed disloyalty to the "Bolívarian" cause, and "Semitic banks" have been accused of plotting against the regime. Citing suspicions of such plots, Chávez's government has gone so far as to stage raids on Jewish elementary schools and other places of meeting. The anti-Zionism expressed by the government is steadily spilling over into street-level anti-Semitism, in which synagogues are vandalized with a frequency and viciousness never before seen in the country.

Pantin goes on to offer alarming examples. Here are a few:

Graffiti, often bearing the signature of the Venezuelan Communist party and its youth organization, have appeared on synagogues and Jewish buildings, with messages like "mata niños" ("child killers"), "judios afuera" ("Jews get out"), "judios perros" ("Jews are dogs"), and swastikas linked to stars of David by an equals sign .
Sammy Eppel, a columnist for the independent Caracas newspaper El Universal , has documented hundreds of instances of anti-Semitism in government media. To take one particularly noxious example, in September 2006 El Diario de Caracas , until recently one of the country's most important papers, published an editorial containing these fiery words:

"Let us pay attention to the behavior of the Israeli-Zionist associations, unions, and federations that are conspiring in Venezuela to take control of our finances, our industries, commerce, construction-which are infiltrating our government and politics. Possibly we will have to expel them from our country . . . as other nations have done."

On television, Mario Silva, the host of a popular pro-Chávez show called La Hojilla ("The Razor Blade"), has repeatedly named prominent Venezuelan Jews as anti-government conspirators and called on other Jews to denounce them. "Rabbi Jacobo Benzaquén and Rabbi Pynchas Brener are actively participating in the conspiracy in conjunction with the media," Silva has said. "So as not to be called an anti-Semite," he added, "I repeat that those Jewish businessmen not involved in the conspiracy should say so."

While Pantin refers to Chavez's sympathy for Hezbollah, it is disappointing that his otherwise impressive work makes no reference to his relationship with Iran and the frequent hatred spewed from that country's leader towards Israel and the Jewish people.

And in the small chance you missed it, Iran test-fired nine missiles yesterday, with at least one reportedly able to reach Israel. Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Hossein Salami told state television that the tests "demonstrate our resolve and might against enemies who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language......Hundreds and maybe thousands of missiles are ready to be fired at specified targets," he said. "A small part of our defense options was put on display for the world today. Our real reaction against enemy threats will be quicker and stronger."

For a brief video clip showing the two missiles being fired, please click here.