Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday accused Israel of being the "murder arm" of the United States and said the solution to the Gaza crisis was in the hands of Barack Obama when he becomes U.S. president in 10 days. On announcing Venezuela's first humanitarian aid shipment for Gaza's embattled Palestinians, Chavez said he was not surprised Israel ignored the United Nation's call Thursday for a ceasefire in Gaza because, he said, "behind Israel lurks the United States."
| " Let's wait and see what Obama will do when he takes power as president... and head of the empire...Because if anybody can stop that massacre it's the U.S. president, because it was a U.S. president who ordered it in the first place " Chavez |
Chavez, Latin America's most prominent leftist leader and staunch foe of outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush, said the solution to the Gaza conflict was squarely in the hands of Bush's successor Obama, who is to be inaugurated Jan. 20.
"Let's wait and see what Obama will do when he takes power as president... and head of the empire," Chavez said, using his pet name for the United States.
"Because if anybody can stop that massacre it's the U.S. president, because it was a U.S. president who ordered it in the first place," he said.