CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 7 -- Jewish leaders said it had never before happened in Venezuela: a break-in with anti-Jewish intent at one of the city's most prominent synagogues. A dozen armed men overpowered guards, spray-painted office walls with anti-Semitic insults, desecrated historic Torah scrolls and made off with computers containing personal information on congregants. President Hugo Chávez condemned the Jan. 30 attack, which has shaken the country's political establishment. But...

CARACAS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Seven Venezuelan police agents and four civilians have been arrested in connection with an attack on a synagogue that sparked international condemnation, investigators said on Sunday. President Hugo Chavez, whom Jewish groups accuse of encouraging anti-Semitism, referred to the arrests and said the attack was led by a police officer who had worked closely with the rabbi at the synagogue. "What a coincidence, the gang leader is a metropolitan police officer...

CARACAS, Venezuela -- As President Hugo Chavez intensifies his anti-Israel campaign, some Venezuelans have taken action, threatening Jews in the street and vandalizing the largest synagogue in Caracas _ where they stole a database of names and addresses. Now many in Venezuela's Jewish community fear the worst is yet to come. Chavez has personally taken care not to criticize Israelis or Jews while accusing Israel's government of genocide against the Palestinians. He vehemently denies inciting...

Armed men forced their way into a Caracas synagogue, defacing its administrative offices with anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalizing an interior room where the Torah is kept, officials said. Vandals smashed items in an interior room where the Torah is kept, officials said. About 15 men forced their way into the Mariperez Synagogue in Venezuela’s capital about 10 p.m. Friday, staying until about 3 a.m., police said. They tied up a security guard at the synagogue before vandalizing the...

Caracas, Venezuela -- An armed group vandalized Caracas' oldest synagogue, shattering religious objects and spray-painting walls in what Jewish leaders called the worst attack ever on their community in Venezuela. Two security guards were overpowered late Friday by about 15 people who left graffiti such as, "We don't want murderers," and "Jews, get out." The synagogue canceled Saturday's worship service. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro condemned the attack, while...

International Jewish groups expressed concern after an attack on a Caracas synagogue and blamed Hugo Chavez for creating an atmosphere of hate in Venezuela. Up to 15 people attacked the Tiferet Israel Sephardic synagogue late Friday night, throwing Torah scrolls on the floor and damaging some, according to reports. They also painted epithets such as "death to the Jews" on the synagogue's walls. The synagogue's guard had been held at gunpoint and was found on the floor of the...

Are we in the brink of a new era where Iran is at the root of all these acts? Alberto Jabiles,Venezuela's Bnai Brith President, asked today when talking about the attack to Tiferet Israel and the demonstration against this attack adding they where all angry and anguished by this event. On the other hand, he added, we've never seen so many non-governmental organizations showing their support as they did today including among the demonstrators the Simon Bolivar University, Monteavila...

CARACAS, Venezuela - A group of unidentified assailants overpowered security guards and vandalized a synagogue here early Saturday morning, the latest in a series of episodes aimed at Jewish institutions since Venezuela’s recent expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel to protest the war in Gaza. The vandals broke into Tiferet Israel, a Sephardic synagogue in the Maripérez district of Caracas, strewing Torah scrolls on the floor and...

I must admit that the horrendous Gaza events (including the rocket launches to Israel territory, let's not forget that) bring me a perverse satisfaction: they offer a chance to Chavez and chavistas to display their antisemitism. Including tacky wearing of Palestinian "foulards" on TV. But of course Chavez might have expelled the Israeli ambassador to Venezuela but not a drop of oil is cut from the deliveries to Israel main backer, the Evil U.S. of A. Empire. So, as it is always the...

Less than a month ago, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joined his Argentinean and Brazilian counterparts to sign the “2008 Declaration Against Anti-Semitism ”, under which the three countries agreed to “condemn racism, religious intolerance, racial discrimination and related intolerance.” However, it wasn’t long before the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League were obliged to issue another round of their regular condemnations of Chavez, this...