Just Foreign Policy News
September 17, 2010
Can the U.S. Negotiate Peace in Afghanistan?
The first recommendation of the Afghanistan Study Group report is:
1. Emphasize power-sharing and political inclusion.
The U.S. should fast-track a peace process designed to decentralize power within Afghanistan and encourage a power-sharing balance among the principal parties.
This is not a new idea, but the point of the ASG is to increase political space for its implementation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/can-the-us-negotiate-peac_b_721172.html
The report, which is short and accessible, can be found here:
http://www.afghanistanstudygroup.org/
Send the report to your representatives in Congress:
https://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanstudygroup
Bacevich: Washington Rules
Andrew Bacevich’s book, "Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War," is a call for Americans to reject the Washington consensus for permanent war.
September 24th: JFP "Virtual Brown Bag" with Andrew Bacevich
https://www.justforeignpolicy.org/bacevichtalk
Get the book
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Summary:
U.S./Top News
1) The Afghan Taliban are for the first time in serious negotiations with the US, Syed Saleem Shahzad reported in the Asia Times. The Pakistan military and Saudi Arabia are acting as go-betweens, AT says. The initial talks have covered two main areas – the issue of about 60 Pakistanis in Guantanamo, and al-Qaeda. A Pakistani official said US release of the Pakistani prisoners would be seen as a goodwill gesture that would facilitate talks. In its talks with the Taliban, the US is demanding that that it maintain a military presence in northern Afghanistan, while agreeing to give control of the south to the Taliban, AT says. The Taliban demand a complete US withdrawal.
2) In indirect talks with the US, the Afghan Taliban have agreed to clearly state their position on al-Qaeda, Syed Saleem Shahzad reports in the Asia Times. During talks in the UAE, it was clarified that the Taliban would not allow any training camps for international terrorism on their territory.
3) Afghan President Karzai reassured Pakistani leaders of a role in the reconciliation process with Taliban, Dawn reports from Pakistan. In another indication of warming of Pakistan-Afghan relations, the first batch of Afghan army officers has been nominated for training in Pakistan. Pakistan had long been pushing for a military and police training deal for neutralizing Indian influence on Afghan security forces.
4) Iran is signaling it wants to join regional efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, David Ignatius reports in the Washington Post. The administration has not yet responded to the Iranian feelers, Ignatius says. Advocates of engaging Iran on Afghanistan argue stabilizing Afghanistan is a strategic priority and the US should seek help wherever it can. They argue rather than undermining talks on the nuclear issue, contacts on Afghanistan could be an important confidence-building measure. Skeptics contend the Afghan gambit would dilute the main focus of Iran policy, which is stopping Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
5) President Obama’s arms control treaty with Russia advanced to the Senate floor with bipartisan support Thursday, the New York Times reports. With many Republicans still opposed, Democrats are likely to delay a floor vote until a lame-duck session after the election on Nov. 2.
6) The US and its allies in Northeast Asia are trying to fashion an opening to North Korea out of concern that the current policy toward the isolated nuclear-armed nation could lead to war, the Washington Post reports. A participant in an August policy seminar with Secretary of State Clinton said she views talking with the North as "indispensable": "If you just continue sanctions and [military] exercises, that’s a road to war," said the participant, characterizing Secretary Clinton’s views.
Iran
7) The Chicago Council on Global Affairs has released a poll showing that a slim plurality of Americans oppose U.S. military action against Iran, even if diplomacy and sanctions fail to stop Iranian advancement toward a nuclear weapon, Ali Gharib reports for Lobe Blog. More than half of respondents say if Israel starts a war with Iran, the U.S. should not leap to Israel’s defense.
Honduras
8) A street vendor died Thursday from inhaling tear gas fired by police against hundreds of supporters of ousted President Zelaya, AP reports. Radio Uno director Arnulfo Aguilar said police hurled objects that broke the station’s windows and beat one of his employees unconscious.
Colombia
9) The Washington Office on Latin America expressed disappointment at the State Department’s decision to certify that Colombia’s government meets with statutory requirements on human rights, according to Colombia Reports. "By certifying that human rights conditions are met despite abundant evidence to the contrary, the U.S. government has once again prioritized the delivery of its complete package of military assistance over progress on human rights," WOLA said.
10) Colombia’s Agriculture Minister Juan Camilo Restrepo said a trade pact awaiting ratification by the U.S. Congress could prove "disastrous" for Colombian farmers, according to Colombia Reports. The minister slammed a clause in the pact that allows U.S. farmers to sell corn and dairy products to Colombia without having to pay tariffs. According to Restrepo, this could lead to a "disastrous situation" for domestic producers.
Venezuela
11) Leaders of Venezuela’s Jewish community met with President Chavez to discuss their concerns about possible anti-Semitism in state media and ask him to re-establish diplomatic relations with Israel, AP reports. Salomon Cohen, president of the Venezuelan Confederation of Israelite Associations, said he was satisfied with the meeting and told journalists Chavez promised the group he would study everything they gave him. Cohen thanked the government for boosting security at synagogues and Jewish community centers during the Jewish holidays. Foreign Minister Maduro told reporters that "all the political issues related to Israel’s government will be examined."
Contents:
U.S./Top News
1) Taliban and US get down to talks
Syed Saleem Shahzad, Asia Times, Sep 11, 2010
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LI11Df04.html
[Syed Saleem Shahzad is Asia Times Online’s Pakistan Bureau Chief – JFP.]
Islamabad – United States President Barack Obama has pledged to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July 2011, and as a part of the initial outlines of this exit strategy the Taliban are for the first time in serious negotiations with the US.
The Pakistan military and Saudi Arabia are acting as go-betweens to facilitate the talks, a top Pakistani security official directly involved in the negotiation process has told Asia Times Online.
According to the official, the Pakistan army has already been in contact with top Taliban commanders, including Sirajuddin Haqqani. Information is then passed onto the Saudis, who in turn liaise with the Americans.
At this stage, no direct contact has been made with Taliban leader Mullah Omar, although he characteristically does not involve himself personally in such talks; they are handled by close associates.
The security official indicated, however, that unlike in the past nine years since the ouster of the Taliban and the US-led anti-insurgency operations in Afghanistan, Mullah Omar has shown a positive and flexible attitude.
The Taliban have previously insisted that all foreign troops – currently numbered at 150,000 – leave Afghanistan before any peace talks could begin. Separately, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has set up a High Peace Council to facilitate talks with Taliban leaders.
The initial talks have covered two main areas – the issue of about 60 Pakistanis in the US’s Guantanamo detention facility, and al-Qaeda.
"A delegation of Pakistani officials will soon visit the Guantanamo Bay prison to personally interview the Pakistani prisoners. [Their release] would be a goodwill gesture from the American side, and also set the stage for negotiations between the Taliban and Washington," the Pakistani official told ATol.
Another element touched on in the talks is the American demand that it maintain a military presence in northern Afghanistan, while agreeing to give control of the south to the Taliban. The Taliban do not agree with this – they want a complete US withdrawal. This remains a point of major disagreement.
[…]
2) Taliban soften as talks gain speed
Syed Saleem Shahzad, Asia Times, Sep 15, 2010
http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LI15Df02.html
Islamabad – The process of bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table is gaining momentum, with the United States and its allies escalating their efforts to get America out of the Afghan quagmire.
In principle, the Taliban have agreed to clearly state their position on several issues so that formal talks with Washington will be internationally acceptable. In particular, the Taliban will explain their stance on al-Qaeda.
[…] Asia Times Online has learned that the backchannel talks have to date resulted in the Taliban agreeing to issue a policy statement on their relationship with al-Qaeda. They will clarify that they provided protection to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in line with Afghan traditions of being hospitable.
[…] The Taliban will spell out their position of decrying international terrorism and of not supporting violence in Muslim countries. Above all, they will clearly state that the Taliban are an indigenous movement struggling against foreign occupation forces with no agenda outside Afghan boundaries.
"This is the first time the situation has reached this level and this is the result of several months of unannounced but untiring efforts by the Pakistan army, with the consent of US military leaders who have very patiently and diligently allowed the Pakistan army to create this environment in which the Taliban feel comfortable, and they are now showing flexibility in their attitude," a senior Pakistani security official familiar with the talks told Asia Times Online.
[…] During this Ramadan’s talks in the UAE, Taliban representatives indicated a willingness to accept a more broad-based political setup in Afghanistan.
[…] Now, for the first time, the Taliban have agreed to issue a policy statement describing where they stand as far as al-Qaeda’s international strategy is concerned. During the talks in the UAE, it was clarified that the Taliban would not allow any training camps for international terrorism on their territory.
However, the Taliban pointed out that if a person crossed the Kandahar border (Afghanistan) and entered into Chaman (a Pakistani area) and carried out an act of sabotage, it would not be the responsibility of the Afghan government, which would only be accountable within its borders.
[…]
3) Karzai says Pakistan to play role in talks with Taliban
Baqir Sajjad Syed, Dawn (Pakistan), Friday, 17 Sep, 2010
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/karzai-says-pakistan-to-play-role-in-talks-with-taliban-790
Islamabad: President Hamid Karzai reassured on Thursday Pakistani leaders of a role in the reconciliation process with Taliban and other Afghan warring factions as his country headed for parliamentary elections this weekend.
The message was common in his interaction with both civilian and military leaders in Islamabad. The situation in Afghanistan and the political process for wooing back the militants came up for discussions during the meetings.
Mr Karzai told Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that Kabul would enter into consultations with Islamabad over the reconciliation process a proposed high level council for talks with the warring groups was named. The Afghan government is expected to announce the 35-member peace council soon.
The composition of the council, likely to be led by former mujahideen commander Burhanuddin Rabbani, has been discussed with the Pakistan government.
[…] In February, Pakistani security forces captured Taliban number two, Mullah Baradar, from Karachi allegedly to scuttle secret peace talks between Baradar and the Karzai administration that bypassed Pakistan.
Later, Pakistan started efforts to secure a role for the Haqqani network, the military’s long-trusted group in Afghanistan.
The initiative for roping in the Haqqanis has been on the backburner for a couple of months because of a lack of US support.
Sources said the group’s name was back in play after President Karzai’s meetings with Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI chief Gen Pasha.
[…] In another indication of warming of Pakistan-Afghan relations, the first batch of Afghan army officers has been nominated for training in Pakistan and one of the officers has already joined the Military Staff College.
Pakistan had long been pushing for a military and police training deal for neutralising Indian influence on Afghan security forces.
[…]
4) A Chance To Engage Iran?
David Ignatius, Washington Post, Friday, September 17, 2010; A19
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091606067.html
Iran is signaling that it wants to join regional efforts to stabilize Afghanistan – presenting President Obama with an interesting diplomatic opportunity. He had solicited just such help from Tehran last month, but the administration has not yet responded to the Iranian feelers.
U.S. policy is still in flux, but the administration appears ready for a limited dialogue with Iran about Afghanistan, perhaps conducted through the two countries’ embassies in Kabul. This position has not been communicated to the Iranians, in part because Washington is waiting to see whether Iran will return soon to negotiations about its nuclear program with the "P-5 plus 1" group.
The administration’s dilemma is similar to what the Bush administration faced in 2006, when it requested and then spurned Iranian help in Iraq. The worry then was the same as now – that regional cooperation might blunt U.S. pressure on the nuclear issue. Several former senior Bush administration officials now view that stutter-step in 2006 as a significant lost opportunity.
President Obama discussed U.S.-Iranian engagement with a group of columnists on Aug. 4. He said that in addition to talks about curbing Iran’s nuclear program, he favored a "separate track" for discussing Afghanistan, where the two sides have a "mutual interest" in combating the narcotics trade and fighting the Taliban.
Obama told us that as part of Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s push for "reintegration" with the Taliban, Iran should join regional talks about stability. "Iran should be a part and could be a constructive partner," he said.
In publicly endorsing such a dialogue, Obama was embracing a position that had been advocated in private for many months by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. She is said to have pressed her case in one-on-one meetings with the president.
Iran responded in several positive ways, which have been noted by U.S. officials. On Aug. 10, Iranian officials met in Tehran with Michael Steiner, a German diplomat who is serving as Berlin’s coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the foreign policy committee of Iran’s parliament, "voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with other countries and help resolve the crisis in Afghanistan and fight drug smuggling," according to a story in the Iran Daily. The Iranians are said to have conveyed a similar positive message to Italian diplomats.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to control any channel of dialogue with Washington. On Aug. 24, he appointed his own special representative for Afghanistan, a hard-liner named Abolfazl Zohrevand, who is deputy chief of Iran’s national security council. The Iranian president named three other special representatives as well, to further consolidate his power on key diplomatic issues. Though Ahmadinejad continues his sulfurous anti-Israel rhetoric, over the past year he has been, in Iranian terms, an advocate of engagement with the West.
Iran has made other gestures that suggest it is ready for dialogue on Afghanistan. Its foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, attended the Kabul conference hosted by Karzai in July to encourage reconciliation. And the Iranians this month are said to have signaled a willingness to cooperate on Project Global Shield, a program to limit transportation of precursor chemicals that can be used to make explosives in Afghanistan.
The question for the Obama administration is whether to take up these feelers. Advocates argue that stabilizing Afghanistan is a strategic priority and that the United States should seek help wherever it can. They also argue that rather than undermining talks on the nuclear issue, contacts on Afghanistan could be an important confidence-building measure.
Skeptics contend the Afghan gambit would dilute the main focus of Iran policy, which is stopping Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. That same logic led the Bush administration to pull back in March 2006 from its proposal for talks in Baghdad with Iran, after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had appointed a key adviser, Ali Larijani, as his representative.
When I visited Tehran in August 2006, hard-liners there were still gloating over the stop-and-go diplomacy, which they said proved the United States was an unreliable partner.
I hope the administration will open a U.S.-Iranian channel on Afghanistan soon, before the morass there gets any worse. It’s one of the best ways I can think of to undermine the Taliban’s morale – and bring all the key regional powers into a process that could allow an eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops. The only way to find out if Iranian signals are for real is to start testing them.
5) Senate Panel Approves Arms Treaty With Russia
Peter Baker, New York Times, September 16, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/world/europe/17start.html
Washington – President Obama’s arms control treaty with Russia advanced to the Senate floor with bipartisan support on Thursday, giving it a major boost toward ratification despite the election-year polarization that has divided the parties over so many other issues.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 14 to 4 to approve the treaty known as New Start, with three Republicans joining Democrats after negotiating an accompanying resolution addressing conservative concerns about missile defense and modernization of the nuclear arsenal.
The vote was a rare instance in which Mr. Obama has won more than token Republican support for a signature initiative. But he still faces a battle to secure final approval on the Senate floor, where under the Constitution the treaty needs a two-thirds vote, meaning at least eight Republicans. With many Republicans still opposed, Democrats are likely to delay a floor vote until a lame-duck session after the election on Nov. 2.
[…]
6) U.S., Allies Working On New N. Korea Strategy
John Pomfret, Washington Post, Thursday, September 16, 2010; 9:52 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091606933.html
The United States and its allies in Northeast Asia are trying to fashion an opening to North Korea out of concern that the current policy toward the isolated nuclear-armed nation could lead to war, U.S. and Asian officials said.
Anxiety is rising on both sides of the Pacific that tightened sanctions and joint military exercises – what U.S. officials have called "strategic patience" – could, if continued indefinitely, embolden hard-line factions in the North to strike out against South Korea or to redouble efforts to proliferate weapons of mass destruction.
Officials said the broad outlines of a new strategy were beginning to take shape, with the United States, South Korea and Japan reaching general agreement on a way forward.
The three allies want North Korea to express regret for the deaths of 46 sailors who died when the country allegedly torpedoed the Cheonan, a South Korean warship, on March 26. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had previously demanded that North Korea acknowledge its guilt and apologize, but it appears that demand has been softened to something more like condolences, a senior Asian official said.
"This has to be done in a way that addresses the grievances of the South Koreans," said a senior Obama administration official who discussed the deliberations on the condition of anonymity.
There is less agreement on what would be expected of North Korea after a statement of regret. Some officials said they would want to see the North take specific steps to reverse its nuclear program before any real talks began.
In late August, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gathered analysts and policymakers for a seminar on the North. According to participants, Clinton was convinced that the United States and its allies needed to find a way to reengage the North.
"There are two legs of the stool so far," said one participant. "Sanctions and military exercises. But she views talking with the North as the indispensable third. If you just continue sanctions and exercises, that’s a road to war."
[…]
Iran
7) Chicago Council Poll: U.S. Public Against Attacking Iran
Ali Gharib, Lobe Blog, September 17th, 2010
http://www.lobelog.com/chicago-council-poll-u-s-public-against-attacking-iran/
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs just released their wide-ranging biennial 2010 survey on Americans’ attitudes on U.S. foreign policy. With Iran such a hot issue these days, it’s no surprise a number of questions focused on U.S.-Iran relations and other issues involving Iran – but some of the responses were indeed surprising.
Most striking (no pun intended) was that only 18 percent of respondents think the U.S. should launch a military strike on Iranian nuclear targets now. Even if diplomacy and sanctions fail to stop Iranian advancement toward a bomb, a slim plurality still think the U.S. should not bomb Iran (49 percent oppose it, 47 would support it). More than half of respondents say if Israel starts a war with Iran, the U.S. should not leap to Israel’s defense.
The Chicago Council, Obama’s hometown think tank, released the report yesterday at the Brookings Institution in D.C., an indication of the Council’s well-connected policy circles. Worth mentioning is that the chairman of the Council’s board of directors is top Obama fundraiser and early supporter Lester Crown, patriarch of the Crown family empire. The Obama administration even announced, at a symposium convened by the Council, food programs based on Council recommendations.
One should note that this survey was conducted in June. That means that the more than 2,700 responses came before the latest round of chatter about attacking Iran, sparked by Jeffrey Goldberg’s August article about a potential Israeli strike on Iran in the Atlantic.
Before this chatter kicked off, that when respondents were asked should Israel bomb Iran and Iran retaliate, sparking a war between the two, whether the U.S. should stay on the sidelines, "a majority (56%) says the United States should not bring its military forces into such a conflict, with 38 percent saying it should."
[…] On a note of the specific direction of policy, a slim majority of respondents believe that if a robust system of international inspections were in places as an insurance policy, Iranians should be able to manufacture their own nuclear fuel for peaceful electricity-generating purposes.
These splits in opinion are surprising, considering the priority put on Iran’s program as a "’critical threat." Furthermore, Iran was tied with North Korea "at the bottom on the scale of ‘feelings’ toward other countries." While Americans don’t ‘like’ Iran, they view it as less important a country than they have in previous Chicago Council surveys. Although a majority thought Iran is either "somewhat" or "very" important, those numbers are down. Nearly two in five Americans think Iran is unimportant.
Finally, it is important to consider the partisan divide when interpreting the survey’s findings. On the question of jumping into an Israeli-Iranian war started by Israel, "Majorities of Republicans support … bringing U.S. forces into a war with Iran on the side of Israel prompted by Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities (52%)." Only a third of Democrats support that same proposition.
Honduras
8) Honduran police tear gas Zeyala supporters; 1 dead.
Freddy Cuevas, AP, September 16, 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jrz9DOCzie2q7wM1JI9gMsU5wW5gD9I9DRV82
Tegucigalpa, Honduras – A street vendor died Thursday from inhaling tear gas fired by police against hundreds of supporters of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
The police used tear gas and a water cannon to break up the demonstration Wednesday in the northern city of San Pedro Sula. The police chased some of the protesters into an opposition radio station, whose employees were forced to evacuate because of the tear gas.
Efrain Hernandez, 66, died in the hospital Thursday, police said in a statement. Hernandez, who sold lottery tickets in the area, had asthma. Three others were hurt, including one person struck in the face with a tear gas canister.
Police spokesman Hector Mejia said the demonstrators were intimidating a group of students participating in a government-organized march to mark the 189th anniversary of Honduras’ independence from Spain.
The protesters – some of whom were students themselves – denied that, saying police attacked without provocation. "Dozens of students were savagely beaten," said Orfilia Mejia, a former opposition congresswoman and mother of Aristides Mejia, the vice president under Zelaya.
[…] During the protest Wednesday, police chased several demonstrators into the offices of Radio Uno, even as employees of the station fled outside as the tear gas wafted in.
Radio Uno director Arnulfo Aguilar said police hurled objects that broke the station’s windows and beat one of his employees unconscious. The police listed the employee, Ernesto Bardales, as one of the three injured.
[…]
Colombia
9) WOLA slams US certification of Colombia’s rights record
Christina Filipovic, Colombia Reports, Thursday, 16 September 2010 11:27
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/11878-wola-us-certification-of-colombia-done-for-political-reasons.html
U.S. NGO the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) expressed disappointment at the U.S. State Department’s decision to certify that Colombia’s government meets with statutory requirements on human rights.
WOLA points out that the Department of State acknowledges "abundant" human rights violations and a lack of progress on prosecutions. "By certifying that human rights conditions are met despite abundant evidence to the contrary, the U.S. government has once again prioritized the delivery of its complete package of military assistance over progress on human rights."
"The U.S. Congress should use its authority to freeze the assistance attached to the conditions until greater human rights progress is achieved," says the NGO.
WOLA argues that Colombia has not complied with the conditions required by the U.S. Congress to receive the aid. The State Department’s decision frees up $30.3 million dollars in aid.
An earlier statement released by WOLA in conjunction with several other human rights groups and NGOs urged the State Department not to certify Colombia, because "not only has Colombia failed to meet the conditions, it has taken a significant step backward during the last year-long certification period, particularly in failing to bring human rights crimes by security forces to justice."
This statement highlighted the lack of investigation and prosecution into cases of extrajudicial executions; the expansion of paramilitary and criminal groups; and increased threats against human rights defenders, journalists, Afro-Colombian groups, indigenous organizations, and trade unionists.
[…]
10) US trade pact disaster for Colombian farmers: Minister
Adriaan Alsema, Colombia Reports, Thursday, 16 September 2010 07:23
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/economy/11870-colombia-us-fta-poorly-negotiated-minister.html
A "free trade pact" approved by the U.S. and Colombian governments and currently awaiting ratification by U.S. Congress was poorly negotiated and could prove "disastrous" for Colombian farmers, Colombia’s Agriculture Minister Juan Camilo Restrepo said Wednesday.
In an interview with RCN Radio, the minister slammed a clause in the pact that allows U.S. farmers to sell corn and dairy products to Colombia without having to pay tariffs. According to Restrepo, this could lead to a "disastrous situation" for domestic producers.
In the clause, U.S. exporters are allowed to supply 80% of the Colombian demand without having to pay import taxes.
The worst thing, said the minister, is that this takes effect the minute U.S. Congress approves the treaty.
[…]
Venezuela
11) Chavez meets with Venezuela’s Jewish leaders.
Christopher Toothaker, Associated Press, Thu Sep 16, 9:48 pm ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100917/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_chavez_jews
Caracas, Venezuela – Leaders of Venezuela’s Jewish community met with President Hugo Chavez on Thursday to discuss their concerns about possible anti-Semitism in state media and to ask the socialist leader to re-establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Venezuelan Confederation of Israelite Associations said its representatives gave the president a dossier containing numerous examples of anti-Semitic messages that have appeared "almost daily, and for several years, in state media and government-friendly media."
Salomon Cohen, president of the confederation, said he was satisfied with the meeting at the presidential palace in Caracas and told journalists that Chavez promised the group that he would study everything they gave him. "We reviewed the negative consequences that hateful expressions can lead to and how they can affect the security and integrity of the institutions and individuals that make up the community of Venezuelan Jews," the organization said in a statement following the meeting.
It did not publicly release its examples of alleged anti-Semitism in state media, but has previously raised concerns about cartoons and commentary in government-friendly newspapers and websites.
Chavez’s government recently decided to step up security at synagogues and Jewish community centers this month during Jewish new year celebrations, according to representatives of the local Jewish community. Cohen thanked the government for boosting security at the temples and centers.
[…] Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro told reporters that "all the political issues related to Israel’s government will be examined."
Chavez did not speak with journalists following Thursday’s meeting, but he called the gathering "extraordinary" in a message posted on his Twitter account, saying he and Jewish leaders wrapped up the meeting "hugging and praying for peace." Last week, the self-proclaimed socialist said some of his political opponents have wrongly attempted to portray him as "anti-Jewish," which he said is false.
Venezuela’s Jewish community numbers nearly 15,000.
–
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
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