As part of its fifth annual pan-European diplomatic seminar coinciding with the Human Rights Universal Periodic Review, a delegation of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) met with His Excellency Mr. German Mundarian Hernandez, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

EUJS, the sole ECOSOC accredited voice of Jewish students the United Nations, raised its profound concern for the security of the Jewish community in Venezuela during its meeting, with Ambassador Hernandez on Tuesday. EUJS urged the Ambassador to strongly condemn these Anti-Semitic attacks against Jewish communal and individual property while ensuring that the Venezuelan Government extends the same guarantee to its Jewish citizens as it would to any other. The delegation re-affirmed its solidarity with the Jews of Venezuela.

In recent years, anti-Semitic sentiments have increased dramatically in Venezuela. And culminated on January 30th when 15 heavily armed men broke into and desecrated the main Synagogue in Caracas, destroying Torah scrolls and calling for the Jewish population to be expelled from the country. In the aftermath of this abominable act, Venezuela arrested 11 suspects, EUJS remains deeply concerned about the current political climate in Venezuela, as the horrific incident is seen as a climax of the hateful rhetoric by the Venezuelan Government, and in particular President Hugo Chavez.