Venezuela: Do the Actions of the Chávez Government in Support of Palestine Reflect the Views of the People?  · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

In Venezuela, the conflict in the Middle East is a little closer to home due to the actions of the government of President Hugo Chávez.  In addition to the explusion of the Israeli ambassador and other diplomatic personnel in Caracas, in what Chávez has called a “gesture of dignity”, there have been other moves by the government and its supporters indicating that Chávez has come out strongly in favor of Palestine and against the actions of Israel.
David Ludovic of the blog  Historia No Prejuicios [es]  (History, Not Prejudices) writes about three events that recently took place in Venezuela that clearly shows the government's views towards the conflict in the Middle East:
“El presidente de Israel debería ser llevado a la Corte Penal Internacional”. Este primer comentario del presidente Hugo Chávez durante la inauguración de un hospital en Caracas pareció ser una orden cumplida a cabalidad por su ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, que pocas hroas después emitió un comunicado en el que anunciaba la expulsión del embajador de Israel en nuestro país, Shlomo Cohén y de parte del personal diplomático acreditado.
Pocos minutos después, el comunicado era leído con júbilo en la Asamblea Nacional, cuyos diputados –ataviados con kaffes (tradicionales mantos árabes) y portando banderas representativas del movimiento palestino, discutían en ese mismo isntante un acuerdo en contra de las acciones militares de Israel en la Franja de Gaza originadas (recordemos siempre) como consecuencia por el permanente lanzamiento de cohetes Qassam desde esa región a poblaciones israelíes.
Finalmente, la mezquita principal de Caracas, en la zona de Quebrada Honda, también fue escenario de las protestas, aupadas por el gobierno. En ella se congregaron, además de los parlamentarios, otros representantes del gobieno, entre ellos el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Nicolás Maduro.
A few minutes later, the communiqué was read with great joy in the National Assembly, whose deputies – dressed with keffiyeh (traditional Arab scarves) and waving flags representative of the Palestinean movement, debated an agreement against the military actions of Israel in the Gaza Strip (we always remember) as consequence for the continuous launching of rockets from that region towards the Israeli population.
Finally, in the main mosque in Caracas, located in the Quebrada Honda area, there was also a scene of protests supported by the government. There, in addition to parliamentarians, other government representatives gathered, including the Foreign Minister, Nicolás Madura.
Ludovic also adds historical context regarding Venezuela's relationship with the two sides over the past 50 years:
…luego de que Venezuela fuera uno de los países impulsores de la resolución AG/181 de la ONU, que establecía la creación de dos estados en la región, su entrada en la Organización de Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP), la obligó a mantener relaciones “neutrales” o cordiales con ambas partes en conflicto. Con Israel, por sus relaciones de amistad e intercambio científico, militar, etc. Con el mundo árabe, por sus intereses económicos, fundamentalmente en lo relacionado al petróleo.
Esta situación, mantenida durante casi cincuenta años, se rompió con la llegada de Chávez al poder y sus intentos de fundar ” una nueva geopolítica”
… after Venezuela's role as a driving forcer of the UN resolution AG/181, in which it established the creation of two states in the region, its entrance into OPEC, forced Venezuela to maintain “neutral” and friendly relationships with both parts in the conflict. With Israel, out of friendship and because of the scientific and military exchange, etc… And with the Arab world because of economic interests, mainly related to oil.
This situation, maintained for almost fifty years had been broken with the arrival of Chavez to power and his plans to build a “new geo-politics.”
For the entire photoset of the protest against Israel, and in support for Gaza that took place in the city of Mérida, Venezuela, visit his Flickr set.
Despite these high-profile actions, Venezuelan bloggers maintain their own viewpoints on the crisis.  Some think that the government does not speak for them when condemning the attacks of Israel, and seemingly condoning the behavior of Hamas.  Others believe that Israel is correct in defending itself, demonstrating that some people's view differ than that of their government.
Eliodoro Niklaus ofEliodo Opina [es]  thinks that his government does not speak for him, when Chávez states that Venezuela supports Palestine:
Como yo lo veo, hay un conflicto milenario entre el pueblo judío y el pueblo palestino. Y a finales del 2008, los palestinos (a través de las milicias del Hamas) atacan a Israel, lo que motiva a Israel a responder el ataque. (…) Yo no apoyo al Hamas ni al Hezbolá ni a Palestina. Así como tampoco apoyo a Israel en un conflicto absurdo que puede ser resuelto de otra manera.
Que los palestinos se podría decir que son los más débiles ante Israel, de acuerdo. Pero en todo caso Venezuela tendría que repudiar al conflicto con sus dos participantes. No apoyar a Palestina ni a Israel en un conflicto armado, y más bien buscar una conciliación o mediación en el conflicto…
As I see it, there is a millenary conflict between the Jewish and the Palestinian People. At the end of 2008, the Palestinians attacked (through Hamas military forces) Israel, which moves Israel to respond (…) I neither support Hamas, or Hezbollah, or Palestine, nor Israel in an absurd conflict that could be solved in another manner.
We could say that Palestinians are weaker than Israel, but in any case Venezuela should reject the conflict for both sides, not support Palestina or Israel in an armed conflict, rather than look for a settlement or mediation in the conflict.
The images of war are being seen on television screens across Venezuela, and brings the conflict closer to home. Martha Colemnares [es] sees a picture of young children dressed in military garb speaking out against Israel and says:
En la gráfica Niños de 5 y 6 años, disfrazados de terroristas y “programados” por Hamás para matar judíos. Y es indudable que A los medios de comunicación, organizaciones políticas, humanitarias y diversos políticos les es fácil condenar un bombardeo ante la opinión pública, porque eso los alinea con la imagen de un deseo humanitario de paz universal, pese a que no se lo exigieron al Hamas cuando atacaba cotidianamente a Israel.
In the image we see children of 5 and 6 years old dressed like terrorists and “programmed” by Hamas to kill Jews. There’s no doubt that to the mainstream media, political and humanitarian organizations, as well as some politicians, it is easy to condemn a bombing on the basis of public opinion, since that puts the condemnation in line with those who want world peace, even though they didn’t demand peace when Hamas attacked Israel on a daily basis.
Finally, Eduardo Casanova [es] writes that Israel  “by invading Gaza, did nothing more than defend itself, and exercise its right for legitimate defense, but unfortuantely, that legitimate defense, caused death and pain to Palestinean men, women and children, who should not be subjected to that martyrdom” :
Nadie debe ponerse de parte de los unos o de parte de los otros, porque manifestarse de parte de Hamas es alentar el terrorismo y manifestarse de parte de Israel es aupar una guerra, y la guerra nunca es justa. Israel necesita la paz. El mundo necesita la paz. Una paz alentada y vigilada por el mundo entero. ¡Shalom Israel!
No one should be on one side or the other. To support Hamas is to support terrorism and to support Israel is to support war… and war is never fair. Israel needs peace. The world needs peace, a peace that should be encouraged and watched over by the whole world. Shalom Israel!