After 17 years, Israel and Venezuela begin rebuilding ties through humanitarian aid - comment

Seventeen years after a diplomatic rupture, Venezuela and Israel are beginning to mend their relationship, not through formal statecraft, but through the universal language of humanitarian aid. The severing of ties in January 2009 by Hugo Chávez left thousands of citizens without direct representation and deepened the uncertainty for Venezuela's Jewish community, which has dwindled significantly.

This week's statement doesn't restore full diplomatic relations, but it formalizes a crucial first step: the exchange of diplomatic notes, the resumption of consular relations, and the opening of consulates general in both capitals. This comes after technical cooperation was launched following the devastating double earthquake on June 24.

The historical paradox is striking, as Venezuela was once Iran's principal ally in Latin America. The landscape began to shift following the US capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, and took on a human dimension after the disaster. Israeli delegations, including ZAKA and IsraAID, arrived to provide aid, enabling the two countries, despite lacking formal relations, to recognize each other through the act of saving lives and rebuilding.

Coordinating the ZAKA delegation, Rabbi Yosef Garmon returned to Venezuela after 20 years. He described crossing the border from Colombia not as an outsider, but as a Venezuelan, an Israeli, and a Jew, carrying aid and representing Israel's values. In La Guaira, he encountered gratitude, not rejection, with Venezuelans recognizing the Jewish people and the biblical land. Israel chose responsibility over resentment, with every life touched transforming solidarity into diplomacy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on July 9 that the delegations were rebuilding both ruins and relations, showing Venezuela the true face of Israel.

This breakthrough also acknowledges years of quiet diplomacy. Rabbi Isaac Cohen, chief rabbi of the Israelite Association of Venezuela, maintained communication channels with successive Venezuelan governments to protect the Jewish community. On August 9, he delivered a letter to Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia, requesting the restoration of diplomatic and consular ties, a request that appears to have been heard.

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the delegations were rebuilding both ruins and relations, showing Venezuela the true face of Israel.