Hamas hails Bolivian step in severing relations with Israel

[ 15/01/2009 - 12:04 PM ] Evo Morales (left)

GAZA, (PIC)--

Hamas has hailed the Bolivian step in severing diplomatic relations with Israel in protest over the brutal war it was launching for three weeks now against the Gaza Strip.

A responsible source in the Hamas Movement said in a statement on Wednesday that Bolivia and Venezuela had taken honorable stands in face of this cruel aggression.

He added that his Movement was surprised at the fact that a number of Arab countries are still insisting on retaining relations with Israel despite the savage crimes it was and still is committing against the Palestinian people.

For its part, the Hamas-affiliated change and reform parliamentary bloc in the PLC has appreciated the Bolivian president's courageous step in siding with the Palestinian people in face of the Israeli "Nazi" crimes against children and women.

It said in a message to the Bolivian president that the Israeli occupation forces were pounding heavily-populated residential areas killing entire families with the number of victims so far exceeding 1000 martyrs and more than 4000 wounded many of them in very serious conditions.

Bolivia had decided to sever relations with Israel on Wednesday in view of its "serious crimes against life and humanity".

The president of Bolivia in announcing the step said that what is happening in Gaza constituted a "grave threat to world peace".

Venezuela severs diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza offensive

2009-01-15 08:38:28

    CARACAS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) --

Venezuela has cut off diplomatic ties with Israel in protest against its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

    The same day, Bolivian President Evo Morales also announced that his country was breaking off ties with Israel over its continuing raids against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which have killed more than 1,000 and injured some 5,000, most of them civilians.

    Venezuela "has decided to break off diplomatic relations with the state of Israel given the inhumane persecution of the Palestinian people," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

    On Jan. 6, Venezuela expelled Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Cohen in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people and rejection of Israel's raids in the Gaza Strip.

    However, the Jewish News Agency reported the Venezuelan government would restore diplomatic ties with Israel.

    In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said in a communique Wednesday that the Jewish report "only aims to manipulate and create a campaign of intrigue to lighten and reduce the moral and political impacts of our government's decision regarding Israel."

    "We have suspended the diplomatic ties in a minimum expression, because there is still one officer in charge of the basic administrative issue of the Israeli mission in Caracas," Maduro said.

    Meanwhile, hundreds of civilians in Venezuela marched on Wednesday to protest against the Israeli raids in Gaza and demand a stronger solidarity of the Arab peoples with Palestinians.

    Protesters vowed to support Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's decision to sever diplomatic ties with Israel and demanded the end of the raids into Gaza.

    The Venezuelan government called on the people to donate food and medicines for Palestinian youngsters in Gaza.

    Venezuela has sent 12.5 tons of medicines to Gaza via Cairo and80 tons of food will be sent during the week, said Maduro.

    Israel launched massive air strikes against the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27 and led ground incursions into the densely populated enclave a week later.

    So far some 1,033 Palestinians have been killed and 4850 others wounded in the offensive, which Israel claims is aimed at stopping rocket and mortar attacks against its south by the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas.

Editor: Fang Yang

Bolivia breaks off diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza

2009-01-15 09:21:42

    LIMA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) --

Bolivia has broken off diplomatic ties with Israel due to its continuing air strikes into the Gaza Strip.

    "Due to these grave actions trampling on life and humanity, Bolivia is breaking off diplomatic ties with Israel," President Evo Morales said at a meeting with diplomats Wednesday in La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital.

    Morales' declaration comes a few days after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador in Caracas.

    The Bolivian president said he will request the International Criminal Court (ICC) to file genocide charges against Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

    Morales also called on the international community to strongly condemn the Israeli raids and demanded that the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Peres be withdrawn.

    On Tuesday, Morales met with an Iranian delegation headed by Cooperation Minister Mohammad Abbasi.

    Abbasi said the main aim of his visit was to prepare a joint statement with Bolivia against Israel over the latter's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

    The ongoing offensive, which began late December, has killed some 1,023 Palestinians in the coastal strip.