Former Venezuelan UN Rep: Venezuela Spreads Antisemitism at UN, Abuses Power at Home

"'What does Israel plan to do with the Palestinians?' asked the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Rafael Ramirez. It was, of course, a rhetorical question.

Speaking at an informal session of the Security Council this month, the representative of a despotic, corrupt and militarized regime - one that has bankrupted Venezuela, hijacked the judicial system to throw political dissidents in jail, and counts Iran and Syria among its closest allies - rained down anti-Semitic rhetoric upon the State of Israel.

Ramirez went on to flatly ask whether Israel was 'trying to impose a 'final solution' on the Palestinians in the West Bank.'

In making the obscene comparison between Israel and the Nazis, the Venezuelan delegate engaged in the ultimate blood libel - accusing the survivors of the Holocaust of having turned into the same monsters who exterminated 6 million Jews and millions of others. Even UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon publicly rejected such a disgusting comparison, as did other UN member representatives including France, the United Kingdom and the United States...

Even worse, arguably, is the fact that these comments were made under the auspices of a process that is designed to increase dialogue and understanding, rather than boosting hatred and polarization.

I know this to be the case because I launched this process - and I am honored that it is officially named the Arria Formula. Its purpose is to enable members of the Security Council to discuss informally issues of critical importance to international peace and security...

Not once has it been used to promote racial hatred and anti-Semitism - that is, until Ramirez came along... Be on high alert: All Venezuelan institutions, from the supreme court to the National Electoral Council, have been hijacked by the regime of Chavez' successor, Nicolas Maduro, in order to give its ongoing assault on human rights the appearance of democratic legitimacy.

The scapegoating of Israel is by design - to distract Venezuelans and the world from what is a crime in progress..."