Abbas bestows Star of Palestine medal on Hugo Chavez
Headline: “The President [Mahmoud Abbas] bestowed the Star of Palestine on the late Chavez and exchanged decorations with his Venezuelan counterpart”
“The visit made by President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas to Caracas yesterday [May 17, 2014], culminated in the signing of two cooperation agreements with Venezuela…
In addition, the President awarded the Bolivar leader Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias a Star of Palestine decoration of the highest order in appreciation of his efforts for the Palestinian cause.
The decoration was received by the daughter of the deceased, Rosa Maria, at a ceremony held at the Museum of the Revolution, in the presence of the Vice President of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, Fatah Central Committee member Saeb Erekat, [PA] Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Malki, Diplomatic Advisor to the President Majdi Al-Khaledi, Palestinian Ambassador to Venezuela Linda Sobh, members of the Palestinian community and several senior Venezuelan officials.
The order for the bestowing of the medal on the deceased President Chavez stated that the medal was being given ‘in recognition of his principled and firm positions in garnering regional and international support to help the Palestinian people achieve their legal rights to freedom and independence, and in appreciation of his efforts, his humanity, his extensive influence and his struggle to support oppressed peoples in all parts of the world.’
In addition, President Abbas laid a wreath of flowers on Chavez’s grave, on the hill of the Military Museum in Caracas.”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias (1954-2013) was President of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013. He endorsed a socialist, anti-Imperialist political ideology. Chavez was a vocal critic of America and Israel, calling Israel worse than Hitler in its treatment of Palestinians. His anti-Zionism and close relations with Iran led to allegations of Antisemitism by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
“The visit made by President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas to Caracas yesterday [May 17, 2014], culminated in the signing of two cooperation agreements with Venezuela…In addition, the President awarded the Bolivar leader Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias a Star of Palestine decoration of the highest order in appreciation of his efforts for the Palestinian cause.
The decoration was received by the daughter of the deceased, Rosa Maria, at a ceremony held at the Museum of the Revolution, in the presence of the Vice President of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, Fatah Central Committee member Saeb Erekat, [PA] Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Malki, Diplomatic Advisor to the President Majdi Al-Khaledi, Palestinian Ambassador to Venezuela Linda Sobh, members of the Palestinian community and several senior Venezuelan officials.
The order for the bestowing of the medal on the deceased President Chavez stated that the medal was being given ‘in recognition of his principled and firm positions in garnering regional and international support to help the Palestinian people achieve their legal rights to freedom and independence, and in appreciation of his efforts, his humanity, his extensive influence and his struggle to support oppressed peoples in all parts of the world.’
In addition, President Abbas laid a wreath of flowers on Chavez’s grave, on the hill of the Military Museum in Caracas.”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias (1954-2013) was President of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013. He endorsed a socialist, anti-Imperialist political ideology. Chavez was a vocal critic of America and Israel, calling Israel worse than Hitler in its treatment of Palestinians. His anti-Zionism and close relations with Iran led to allegations of Antisemitism by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.