THE STATE OF VENEZUELAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CARACAS 002485 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER DEPT PASS TO DRL/SEAS FOR GRICKMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VE SUBJECT: THE STATE OF VENEZUELAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS CARACAS 00002485 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Dan Lawton, for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) President Chavez has been exploiting violence in the Middle East to seek international media attention and to burnish his pro-Arab and "anti-Empire" credentials. Chavez's inflammatory and extreme anti-Israel rhetoric first headlines while he was in Iran, and has continued since his return. Both the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) and Israel have recalled their respective top diplomats for consultations, although Israel's Charge believes the recently-concluded cease-fire agreement could lead to an improvement in bilateral relations. Jewish leaders believe the anti-Israeli rhetoric emanating from government officials and mouthpieces is already having a deleterious effect on the small Jewish community in Venezuela. END SUMMARY -------------- CHAVEZ'S VERBAL ASSAULTS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Following Chavez's whirlwind world tour in July, including a stop in Iran where Chavez embraced President Ahmadinejad following his call for the destruction of the Israeli state, Chavez's first act upon returning to Venezuela was to recall on August 3 his top diplomat in Israel. In the wake of Israel's military response to Hezbollah incursions, Chavez has launched repeated and vitriolic verbal assaults on Israel, some of which were made in Tehran, with President Ahmadinejad at his side. He has said Israel's actions ar "a dagger to the heart of the peace process" an a "new Holocaust." Chavez even compared the acions of the Israeli government to those of Hitle. Such rhetoric prompted Israel to recall itsAmbassador for consultations on August 7. The fllowing day, Chavez publicly announced he would not rule out the possibility of severing diplomatic relations with Israel. -------------- BRV-ARAB SOLIDARITY -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Chavez has also gone to great lengths to show solidarity with Arab states. On July 17, the Arab League bestowed observer status on Venezuela, while a BRV National Assembly delegation traveled in early August to Syria. Newly-installed Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro met August 18 with Arab community leaders in Venezuela, where he announced the opening of two bank accounts into which Venezuelans could make deposits for war reconstruction, as part of the national campaign of "solidarity" with the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples. Chavez reiterated this call for "solidarity" in his August 20 "Alo Presidente" program and certain BRV ministries are circulating announcements "encouraging" government employees to contribute. -------------- THE ISRAELI EMBASSY'S VIEW -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) The Israeli Charge Livia Link (a Second Secretary) is putting the best face on the recent downward spiral of Venezuelan-Israeli relations. In an August 17 meeting with Poloff, Link mentioned nothing of a drawdown of personnel save the recall of the Ambassador, Shlomo Cohen. Separate CARACAS 00002485 002.2 OF 003 sensitive reporting indicates the Israeli Embassy mandated non-essential personnel to leave the country. (NOTE: The Israeli Embassy in Caracas maintains a very small staff of only three diplomats and a military attache. END NOTE) The Israeli Defense Attache has been instructed to remain in Miami and will continue to remain there until recalled to Caracas. His family returned to Israel on August 13. Requests from Israeli security personnel for increased BRV police forces during protests were reportedly not met to the satisfaction of the Israelis, prompting the mandatory evacuation of non-essential personnel. ¶5. (C) Link stressed that the two countries' diplomatic missions are not symmetrical. Venezuela does not have an Ambassador in Israel and has not for years. Accordingly, Israel's decision to call Ambassador Cohen for consultations was not a completely reciprocal maneuver. Neither country has "withdrawn" its Ambassador, as Chavez has said repeatedly. Israel's Diplomatic Note also stated the move was temporary. Link believes Chavez's fallacious assertions that he had withdrawn his Ambassador to Israel is deliberate diplomatic misdirection, designed to demonstrate bravado to his allies, while ensuring on a separate level that his actions are not permanent. ¶6. (C) Link indicated that Cohen would likely be back in Caracas by the end of August. She said such a decision would not be contingent on a reciprocal move from the BRV, although she suspects the Venezuelan Charge, Hector Quintana, will also return to Tel Aviv in the near future. Link indicated Quintana is neither a Chavista nor a major player. In fact, according to Link, Quintana was not even aware he was called back for consultations until notified at his home by a reporter. ¶7. (C) Link also told Poloff she is encouraged that Chavez's anti-Israel rhetoric has abated for the time being. Other news has pushed Chavez's threat to break relations with Israel from the front pages. The cease-fire has also had a calming influence on the BRV, according to Link, although Chavez did comment on August 20 on Israeli incursions since the cease-fire. Link said Chavez's threats of breaking diplomatic relations are empty and characteristic of Chavez's saber-rattling (such as in the cases of Peru, Mexico, and the United States). Link is, however, concerned that new Foreign Minister Maduro has a pro-Arab bent and could be an irritant in Venezuelan-Israeli relations. -------------- EFFECT ON THE JEWISH COMMUNITY -------------- ¶8. (C) Freddy Pressner and David Bachenheimer, President and Head of the Political Commission of the Confederation of Israelite Associations in Venezuela, respectively, told Poloffs August 14 they had met recently with Vice President Rangel to urge the BRV to stop fomenting a climate hostile to the Jewish community in Venezuela. The 15,000-strong Jewish community in Venezuela has historically maintained good relations with Venezuela's much larger Arab community, but Pressner and Bachenheimer are wary of the BRV importing conflicts from the Middle East. Pressner said he acknowledged to Rangel that the BRV had been responsive to the community's security concerns, at times deploying National Guard and police, but urged Rangel to create a more positive climate that makes special protection unnecessary. Rangel reportedly listened but did not hear, asserting that he had "limitations" in what he could do with regard to regular anti-Israeli pieces in government media. CARACAS 00002485 003.2 OF 003 ¶9. (C) Pressner remains concerned about the security of the Jewish community in Venezuela. He noted that many are dual nationals, and if the tension escalates to violence, many may choose to leave. Barring significant violence, most will stay, Pressner says, and continue to be vulnerable to anti-Semitic sentiment. The Romanian Ambassador recently told poloff that his Embassy is experiencing a "run" on citizenship claims, particularly from the Jewish community. Pressner provided Poloffs with examples of recent incidents of anti-Semitic and pro-Hezbollah graffiti. He expressed a real concern that such incidents as well as anonymous threats could quickly escalate to violence. Citing the government's heated anti-Israel rhetoric, Pressner expressed concern that extremists may perceive that they can act against the Jewish community with impunity. (NOTE: Embassy pouched August 17 to DRL's Special Envoy on Anti-Semitism a packet of materials Pressner provided detailing numerous incidences of anti-Semitic graffiti and inflammatory media pieces. END NOTE) -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) The BRV has no real stake in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, beyond its desire to be supportive of its closely ally in the Middle East, Iran. President Chavez appears to subscribe to the maxim "my enemy's enemy is my friend." His verbal assaults and diplomatic tussle with Israel are probably primarily motivated by a desire to confront a close (and conveniently far away) U.S. ally. Chavez may also be trying to capitalize on anti-Israel sentiment in support of the BRV's bid for a non-permanent UNSC seat. Nevertheless, in the wake of the recent UNSC-brokered cease-fire, Chavez now lacks the pretext to do what he probably was not prepared to do anyway - sever diplomatic relations with Israel. WHITAKER