Maduro Denounces Israeli Actions, Draws Comparisons between Nazi Crimes and Netanyahu Policies
Comparisons between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies and the crimes carried out by Nazi Germany have Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro fiercely criticizing Israel's activities in Gaza and Lebanon. Declaring Netanyahu as a "monster created by the USA and the EU," Maduro accused Western powers—more especially, the United States and the European Union—of supporting Israel's military operations in a string of recent comments.
With increasing bloodshed in Gaza and southern Lebanon where Israeli airstrikes have caused major civilian losses, Maduro's caustic language fits the situation. Declaring, "What Hitler did not dare to do, this monster (Netanyahu) is doing now," the Venezuelan leader directly linked the crimes of Nazi Germany to the present Israeli military activities. Emphasizing the terrible toll on Palestinian people, he also called Israel's bombardment of Gaza "genocide."
Humanitarian Response of Venezuela
Venezuela has responded to these charges by helping individuals impacted by the crisis humanitarianly. The Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs declared on Sunday that 14 tons of humanitarian supplies had been provided to Lebanese refugees escaping Israeli strikes to Syria. Dispatched from Simon Bolivar International Airport, this aid, arranged by the Venezuelan people, represents a symbolic act of solidarity with those afflicted in the crisis areas.
As Maduro tackled the larger background of the Middle East situation, his critique grew more intense. He characterised the circumstances as part of a "colonial project" run by Western powers, aiming at subjugation of the area, not as a traditional conflict. "What is happening today in the Middle East is not a conflict," Maduro said; "but a colonial project of the USA, Britain, and Europe, whose goal is to dominate the region."
The anniversary of the "Al-Aqsa Storm" operation, a Palestinian resistance activity generally considered as a turning point in the continuous conflict between Israel and Gaza, coincided with Maduro's speech. Saying, "By killing Nasrallah and Haniyeh, Israel sought to prevent the establishment of a ceasefire," Maduro charged Israel of purposefully targeting citizens to preclude any possibility of a truce. He also asserted that Netanyahu has bombarded Gaza's hospitals, schools, mosques, and refugee camps — actions he said go much beyond war and amount to genocide.
Charges with war crimes and genocide
The claims of Maduro coincide with a period of rising death toll in Gaza. His estimates place the conflict's death toll at 27,000 children and more than 10,000 women. He also emphasized the extensive damage done to homes; 80% of Gaza's residential buildings allegedly were destroyed by Israeli strikes.
"Is this a war? This is genocide," Maduro added, stressing once more his conviction that the acts of the Israeli government, supported by Western powers, fit a larger plan meant to eradicate the Palestinian presence from the area. Saying, "After destroying Libya and Iraq, they are now moving towards Lebanon," he further charged Israel and her allies of getting ready for more violence.
Similar ideas articulated by other leaders in Latin America, where criticism of Israel's military operations has often been presented within the framework of anti-colonialism and hostility to Western intervention, speak to Maduro's assertions. Particularly Venezuela has a strong record of supporting Palestinian rights and regularly denounced Israeli military actions.
More General Consequences
The remarks of the Venezuelan president reflect a growing worldwide indignation against Israel's military operations, which have attracted strong criticism from various states and most human rights organizations. But Maduro's analogy of Israel's conduct to Nazi war crimes is expected to elicit harsh responses, especially from Israel and its allies, who have long claimed that their military operations are defensive in response to continuous strikes from Hamas and Hezbollah.
Maduro's robust position puts Venezuela among the most ardent opponents of Israeli policy in the Middle East while the war there persists. His charges of genocide and colonialism reflect a more general story told by many in the Global South, who see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a component of a more general fight against Western dominance and empire.
Though divisive, Maduro's comments appeal to deep historical scars and continuing geopolitical pressures that have molded world impressions of the war. The international community is still split on how to handle the complicated forces driving the war as the violence shows no end in sight and the humanitarian crisis gets worse. Though it remains to be seen whether Maduro's demand of responsibility would be felt outside of Venezuela's boundaries, his analogy of Netanyahu's tactics to the crimes of Nazi Germany will definitely generate discussion on the international scene.
