Thousands march in Venezuela in support of Gaza, Palestine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Oct 2023 12:44
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Venezuela's ruling party has demanded an immediate end to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip during a demonstration in support of Palestine.

Protestors gather in support of Palestine calling on "Israel" to stop its aggression on the Gaza Strip in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 27, 2023. (Twitter/@Angryman_J)

Thousands in Caracas, Venezuela demonstrated in support of the Palestinian people, rejecting the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on Friday.

"This [the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza] has awakened worldwide solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people," Diosdado Cabello, vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela said at the protest.

Cabello stressed that Palestine "will become free," adding that its occupied territories "will be returned and the rule of law will prevail in the world."

The official emphasized Venezuela's position on the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip saying, "We demand an immediate end to violence," in reference to the genocidal actions carried out by Israeli occupation forces.

Venezuelan-Israeli relations severed since 2009

Caracas severed relations with "Israel" back in 2009, when late revolutionary leader Hugo Chavez called out "Israel" for its aggression on Gaza, describing it as "state terrorism."

The Venezuelan government expelled the Israeli ambassador in January of that year and called on the International Criminal Court to try the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, for war crimes. In April of that year, Caracas recognized the independence of the State of Palestine and established official relations with it.

On October 13, current Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro confirmed that his country is on the front line of solidarity with Palestine, stressing that "Bolivarianism cannot remain silent in the face of injustice."

He urged an immediate halt to the Palestinian people's suffering, the implementation of a ceasefire, and the initiation of negotiations based on United Nations agreements, while respecting the resolutions of both the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly.

In his speech during the reopening of the Liberator's Birthplace and the Bolivarian Museum located in the historic center of Caracas, Maduro called for "peace in the Gaza Strip."

Venezuelan solidarity with Palestine

In this context, Maduro called on Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the world to demand adherence to the agreements reached at the United Nations, calling to stop the massacre of the Palestinian people.

Later, Maduro held talks with the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas where he announced Venezuela's commitment to provide 30 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

This pledge reflects Venezuela's solidarity with the people of Gaza and their long-standing diplomatic relations with Palestine.

However, thousands of trucks filled with aid for Gazans have been stuck outside the Rafah crossing in Egypt's Sinai. "Israel" continues to obstruct humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip targeting the Rafah border crossing on multiple occasions while it obstructs the flow of aid to the Strip, controlling its inflow and content.

The blockade of the Strip has been tightened for nearly 20 days, with food, water, and fuel being completely cut off by Israeli authorities.

The harsh humanitarian reality that Gazans experienced coincides with continued indiscriminate bombardment which has claimed the lives of over 7,000 Gazans, most of whom are women and children.