Venezuela – Venezuelan Jews, long uneasy with the Chávez government’s alliances with Iran and other Middle Eastern countries that espouse anti-Israel views, are concerned that the government is sponsoring anti-Semitism in this hemisphere, a prominent journalist said Tuesday.
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”The situation we have now in Venezuela is that for the first time in modern history we have government-sponsored anti-Semitism in a Western country,” said Sammy Eppel. “That is why this is very dangerous, not just for the Jewish community in Venezuela but for the Jewish community as a whole.”
Among the examples offered by Eppel:
Venezuelan government intelligence services twice have raided the country’s most important Jewish center in a vague, ultimately unsuccessful search for weapons. Publications of the government’s cultural ministry run articles entitled ”the Jewish Question,” along with a Jewish star superimposed over a swastika. [miamiherald]
This also demonstrates that the New Left, anti-Semitism, and anti-Israel go hand in hand. The only reason that you don’t hear too much anti-Semitism from the Left in the US is that they’re afraid of losing their Jewish base and funding. But I’m sure that will change.
Anon. 10:48AM Your downstream posters [probably] have it right. Even though your assertion about prejudice coming from most Latin-American countries has some truth to it. For reasons that are better not discussed in this open forum. But it doesn’t rise to a level of “Real and Present Danger”. Except in Venezuela where SR. Hugo Chavez is running off at the mouth. Probably, he’s trying to “Kill Two Birds in One Shot”. To provoke the [President of the] USA. And to impress his new-found friend Ahmadinejad. But his moods and interests are changing on an almost daily basis. He used to have a very good relationship with the Jewish community. What his agenda is no one is certain. It would be advisable, though for the Jews to pack up and leave [en masse]. But that’s easier said than done.
There is no doubt that this is the work of the evil zionists. They do everything to scare jews, in order for them to come to live in the “SAFE” israel.
I’ve heard the same about Latino anti Semitism, and it might be true, but i have to say that it doesn’t square with my personal experience & perception…I kind of put them in the India bucket, where anti Semitism has been muted / non existent.
anon 10:48: I don’t know where you’re getting you’re information from, but it doesn’t correspond to either the facts or my personal experience.
And Ugo is a two-bit idiot, who will not last long…
Chavez is the biggest threat to Jews the world over today.
I feel as though American Jews grossly misunderestimate the threat and extreme anti semitism from South and Latin America.
Think about it before you hire these people to care for your children, serve your food, cut your meat, work in your homes, schools, shuls and care for your elderly.
First generation Latin and South Americans according to WJC surveys express the highest possible level of anti Semitic feelings, higher even than pre War Poles.
I think that it is in the best interest of the Jewish world to put at least a bit of our attention into saving Jews from South and Latin American countries and to countering this threat to us in the US as well. Hispanics are the largest growing minority in the US and due to their EXTREME anti Semitism the biggest threat to American Jewry.