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IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
Ever since his decision to expel the Israeli ambassador, Chavez has become a celebrated household among Arabs and Muslims. (Reuters)
BETHLEHEM — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is fast becoming a national hero for many Palestinians who feel betrayed and abandoned by Arab leaders in their hour of need.
"(He is) a symbol of the struggle for liberty, like Che Guevara," MP Mohammed al-Lahham told Agence France Presse (AFP) on Monday, January 12.
"This distinguishes him from the world's other presidents."
Chavez has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador from Venezuela in protest at Israel's three-week onslaught against the heavily-populated Gaza Strip, which has so far killed more than 905 people and wounded 4200 others.
Venezuela is also sending a humanitarian aid plane to the bombed-out coastal enclave, suffering severe food and medicine shortage because of a long-running Israeli blockade.
"This is the right reaction" said Mahmud Zwahreh, mayor of Al-Masar town in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Chavez has blasted the international community for not doing enough to stop the Israeli "Holocaust" against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
He slammed Israel as the "murder arm" of the US.
Chavez is Latin America's most prominent leftist leader and staunch foe of outgoing US President George W. Bush.
In a speech at the UN last year, he called Bush "the devil."
In 2006, Chavez withdrew his ambassador from Israel to protest its 34-day war against neighboring Lebanon which killed more than a thousand people, mostly women and civilians.
Our President
Ever since his decision to expel the Israeli ambassador, Chavez has become a celebrated household among Arabs and Muslims.
"Everyone here knows about him," notes Mayor Zwahreh.
He is now printing out as many portraits as he can of the Venezuelan president to hand out to pro-Gaza protesters.
"More and more people are coming to ask me for photos to carry during the demonstrations."
Chavez is also celebrated as a hero by Arabs and Muslims who cam out in their thousands to protest the Gaza offensive.
Venezuelan flags and his portraits could be seen lofted by demonstrators everywhere.
"I would like to be able to give Chavez a Palestinian passport so he could become a Palestinian citizen," said Zwahreh.
"Then we would elect him and he would become our president."
Iyad, who runs a shop near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, agrees.
"Chavez is the best president. He always supports the Palestinians."
Assem, a shopkeeper, laments the lack of Arab and Muslim leaders with the same quality of leadership.
"He is better than Arab leaders. Jordan and Egypt should have also expelled their ambassadors," he said.
No Arab country has dared to take similar diplomatic measures against Israel over its war on Gaza.
"It is a real shame that we have no leaders like him."
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
Ever since his decision to expel the Israeli ambassador, Chavez has become a celebrated household among Arabs and Muslims. (Reuters)
BETHLEHEM — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is fast becoming a national hero for many Palestinians who feel betrayed and abandoned by Arab leaders in their hour of need.
"(He is) a symbol of the struggle for liberty, like Che Guevara," MP Mohammed al-Lahham told Agence France Presse (AFP) on Monday, January 12.
"This distinguishes him from the world's other presidents."
Chavez has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador from Venezuela in protest at Israel's three-week onslaught against the heavily-populated Gaza Strip, which has so far killed more than 905 people and wounded 4200 others.
Venezuela is also sending a humanitarian aid plane to the bombed-out coastal enclave, suffering severe food and medicine shortage because of a long-running Israeli blockade.
"This is the right reaction" said Mahmud Zwahreh, mayor of Al-Masar town in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Chavez has blasted the international community for not doing enough to stop the Israeli "Holocaust" against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
He slammed Israel as the "murder arm" of the US.
Chavez is Latin America's most prominent leftist leader and staunch foe of outgoing US President George W. Bush.
In a speech at the UN last year, he called Bush "the devil."
In 2006, Chavez withdrew his ambassador from Israel to protest its 34-day war against neighboring Lebanon which killed more than a thousand people, mostly women and civilians.
Our President
Ever since his decision to expel the Israeli ambassador, Chavez has become a celebrated household among Arabs and Muslims.
"Everyone here knows about him," notes Mayor Zwahreh.
He is now printing out as many portraits as he can of the Venezuelan president to hand out to pro-Gaza protesters.
"More and more people are coming to ask me for photos to carry during the demonstrations."
Chavez is also celebrated as a hero by Arabs and Muslims who cam out in their thousands to protest the Gaza offensive.
Venezuelan flags and his portraits could be seen lofted by demonstrators everywhere.
"I would like to be able to give Chavez a Palestinian passport so he could become a Palestinian citizen," said Zwahreh.
"Then we would elect him and he would become our president."
Iyad, who runs a shop near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, agrees.
"Chavez is the best president. He always supports the Palestinians."
Assem, a shopkeeper, laments the lack of Arab and Muslim leaders with the same quality of leadership.
"He is better than Arab leaders. Jordan and Egypt should have also expelled their ambassadors," he said.
No Arab country has dared to take similar diplomatic measures against Israel over its war on Gaza.
"It is a real shame that we have no leaders like him."