Venezuela's government is dismissing accusations of anti-Semitism and calling the expulsion of its envoy to Israel an ``honour.'' Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has told the Arab news network Al-Jazeera that Israel's response is ``weak'' and ``late.'' Venezuela expelled Israel's ambassador along with embassy staff earlier this month.
It was protesting Israel's 22-day offensive on Gaza, which aimed to stop Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel. Maduro lamented late Tuesday that countries critical of the Israeli government are ``automatically added to the list of anti-Semites.'' Jewish community leader Abraham Levy had accused President Hugo Chavez's government of promoting anti-Semitism, in comments published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.