Buenos Aires and Paris,

In wake of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire, the Maripérez Synagogue in Caracas, first desecrated in January, 2009, was again targeted. An enraged mob chanted “Jews are murderers, damn Jews, stop killing innocent people”, anti-Israeli slogans,  and launching firecrackers.

“One attack can be by local anti-Semites, recidivism smacks of government indifference, incitement or, even worse, policy. Where was the police protection promised by Chavez? The circumstances are too reminiscent of Hitler’s Kristallnacht pogrom of November 1938,” argued SWC Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels.

“Anti-Semitic incidents in Chavez’ Venezuela were already labeled as human rights abuses by the OAS’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (www.cidh.oas.org/pdf%20files/VENEZUELA%202009%20ENG.pdf – paragraphs 784-786). The current Maripérez Synagogue behooves the Organization of American States to intervene in ensuring a full investigation and prosecution of those responsible."

"Our Center stands in solidarity with the Jewish Community of Venezuela and will continue monitoring a situation that threatens Jews across Latin America,” noted SWC's Director for Latin AmericaSergio Widder.

“Chávez’ proactive support for Hamas, Hizbollah and Iran consciously incites against Jews everywhere. The ‘Declaration against Antisemitism’ formulated by the Wiesenthal Center and adopted by the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO), endorsed by the Venezuelan Parliamentary delegation morally binds his government to zero tolerance for Jew hatred,” concluded Samuels and Widder.

For further information, contact Dr. Shimon Samuels at +336 09770158 or Sergio Widder at +54911 4425-1306, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobile device.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).