Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Venezuela has ordered the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Caracas, Shlomo Cohen, in protest over Israel's increasingly bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip.
President Hugo Chavez has strongly condemned Israel for the invasion and called on Israelis to stand up against their government.
"The Israeli army is cowardly attacking worn-out, innocent people, while they claim that they are defending their people," Mr Chavez said, as cited by BBC. "I call on the people of Israel to stand up against that government, to demand, to put a hand on their hearts and look at their children, and I call on the world to stop this madness."
Israel said Wednesday it may expel Venezuela's top diplomat from the country as a response. The decision will be taken later in the day, Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said.
