24 Friday, November 11, 1983

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Venezuelan Stability Evident in Relations With Israel

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CARACAS, Venezuela
(JTA) — Venezuela is a
member of the Organization
of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC), an
Arab-dominated body that
is resolutely anti-Israel.
But Venezuela, probable
Arab objections not-
withstanding, maintains
cordial relations with the
Jewish state.

In fact, Venezuela; the
richest nation in South
America, has so far resisted
Arab League overtures that

the PLO be permitted to es-
tablish an official office in
Caracas, the capital.
This fall, as Venezuelans
prepared for the December
general election, two of the
leading presidential candi-
dates — Rafael Caldera and
Jaime Lusinchi — ad-
dressed a Jewish commu-
nity meeting and made it
clear that they would not
change President Luis
Herrera Campins' policy
toward the PLO.
This Latin American
democracy, an island of
stability since the 1958

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revolution, has a Jewish
population of about
32,000 out of a total of

some 16 million inhabi-
tants. So, obviously, Ven.
ezuelan mainstream
politician are not pander-
ing to the Jewish vote,
which is insignificant.
"The Venezuelans don't
deem it in their national
interest to have a PLO
office here," said Yaacov
Cohen, the Israeli am-
bassador, in an inter-
view.
Several South American
nations, including Brazil
and Mexico, have accredited
PLO representatives. But
Venezuela, fearing that a
PLO emissary mightlink up
with what are considered to
be subversive groups, pre-
fers to keep the PLO at
arm's length.
Yet, as Cohen pointed
out, the Venezuelan gov-
ernment is not unsym-
pathetic to the idea of Pales-
tinian self-determination.
At the United Nations,
Venezuela has called on at
least one occasion for a
Palestinian state, Cohen
said.
Cohen, who has served in
Vienna, Ankara, Brussels
and The Hague, describes
Israel's relationship with
Venezuela as "satisfactory."
Usually, he explained, it
abstains on UN resolutions
hostile to Israel. However,
Venezuela voted for the
1947 UN resolution calling
for a Jewish state in part of
Palestine.
Until a few years ago,
the Venezuelan Embassy
in Israel was located in
Jerusalem. After the hue
and cry fueled by Israel's
decision to declare
Jerusalem its undivided
and indivisible capital,
Venezuela joined Hol-
land and several Latin
American lands and
moved its embassy to Tel
Aviv. This •incident did
not really sour Israel's re-
lations with Venezuela —
which has embassies in
virtually every country.
Israel's bilateral ties with
Venezuela extend into the
cultural and commercial
realms. When Venezuela
marked the 200th anniver-
sary of the birth of Simon
Bolivar, their greatest na-
tional hero, the Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra
performed in Caracas before
an audience consisting of
the president and eight
members of his cabinet.
After the United States,
Venezuela sends more dig-

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nitaries to Israel than any
other country. Carlos Peres,
the former president, vis-
ited Israel last summer.
And in the past year alone,
the ministers of education,
health, tourism and indus-
try have gone to Israel
Despite the distance in-
volved (14,000 miles) 2,000
Venezuelans went to Israel
as tourists last year, Cohen
said. In the 1982 fiscal year,
Israel exported goods worth
approximately $16 million
to Venezuela. They in-
cluded textiles, chemicals,
irrigation equipment and
Arava and West Wind
business planes.
As elsewhere in Latin
America, Israel' has
transferred military
equipment to the Ven-
ezuelans. But, except for
Uzi submachine guns, the
extent of this trade is
shrouded in mystery.
During the war in Leba-
non, Venezuelan editorial

writers came down in the
middle on Israel. El Univer-
sal, the biggest daily, was
objective, Cohen related. El
Mundo was positive. But El
Nacional and the Daily
Journal — Caracas'
English-language news-
paper — tended to be nega-
tive vis-a-vis Israel's inva-
sion.
Cohen does not believe
that Venezuela's border
dispute with Guyana over
the vast, mineral-rich Es-
sequibo region will have
any repercussions on its
Mideast policy. The ques-
tion arises because Argen-
tina canvassed Arab dip-
lomatic support in its row
with Britain over the Falk-
land Islands.
Venezuela, Cohen said,
will try to find a peaceful
way to solve the problem.
Therefore, Venezuela will
have no need to seek back-
ing from the Arab bloc at
the UN.

Polyphony of Pluralism

By ISSACHAR MIRON — Seven Arts Feature

On wings of the perplexed memories
of barbed-wire fences' outbursts
of violence and hatred,
And broad, breathtaking harmonies
of faith and glory,
We juxtapose cognitive upheavals
With dawns of renewal
Into the irresistible sonorities
Of light overwhelming the darkness —
A real-life, throbbing experience.

In the desolated galaxies of our mind,
We never forget,
The Chagallian crucified Jews,
Who in their helplessness
Prevailed over bigotry.
We celebrate with polyphony of pluralism
Their victories of spirit over might.

Our hearts pulse contrapuntally '
Evoking compassions and passions
Of morality and morale
Brooding sparks of life
Into the rhythmically growing crescendos
Of Abraham-Isaac dreams and destinies.
Woven into fugues of suffering,
Resistance and unsung triumphs of inner strength.
Inbound with contabile imageries
Of the secular, humanistic crosscurrents,
We elucidate their ringing revelations.
We mount trumpet-like
Hallelujah flourishes
In thanksgiving for starting
His magnum opus with light
And saving us from drowning
In the abysmal oblivion of darkness
Thus enlightening our eyes to perceive
Our minds to comprehend
And our hearts to feel
The eternal birth pangs and joys of life.

As the phoenix of humanity's consciousness
On whose ideological introspection
The world's youthfulness endures
We reflect the renewal.
We are the Symphonic Fantastic
For repeated obligato meditation
On the ongoing war between good and evil.
We are the nine-lighted mirrors
Of the reborn promise
For the House of Israel
Replete with eclectic accents
Of transcendental vitality.
Since nothing seemingly can follow
Our celebration except of anti-climax,
We close our universal spectacle
Each year after the eight nights run;
But we remain throughout the whole year
A one-hundred generations old,
Anti-Orwellian manifesto of hope
A pivotal and ever timely credo.
For we are freedom of choice
A mode of egalitarian evocation
And an orchestral masterwork of liberty
So, we are Hanuka!

