Caracas has accused Israel of engaging in "blatant violations of international law" and have implemented a "planned use of state terrorism" against the Palestinian people.

Leader of the radical left in Latin America, President Chavez had criticized on Monday the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, describing the Jewish state of "assassin" and "genocidal".

In his statement, the Venezuelan government has also indicated that he would pressure the United Nations "for the Security Council to take urgent measures to stop the invasion of Palestinian territory by the State of Israel."

"At this tragic and exciting the indignation, the people of Venezuela expresses its solidarity with the heroic Palestinian people," added the text stresses that "the horror of killing children and innocent women."

The offensive launched on December 27 against the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army has killed at least 660 Palestinians and more than 2950 wounded, according to Palestinian emergency services.

The communiqué stressed that Venezuela was "still opposed to anti-Semitism or any kind of discrimination and racism", and sends a "fraternal appeal to the Jewish people." He asked him to "oppose the criminal policies of Israel that recall the worst pages of the history of the twentieth century."

Shortly before the announcement of the expulsion of the diplomat, Mr. Chavez had launched as the President of Israel should be "brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague:" The President of Israel should be brought before the Court International Criminal Court, with the President of the United States, if there were any doubts in this world, "he told the press.

It has not named the President of Israel Shimon Peres, then Israel has a parliamentary system where executive power lies with the Prime Minister.

Chavez, who condemned the air raids on Gaza since the outbreak, also held "cowardly" the Israeli army for "attacking a defenseless people, sleeping, innocent." Israel "as the armed wing of the Yankee empire," he said, accusing the United States to "support and encourage" attacks on Gaza.

This is not the first time that the Venezuelan president spoke with thunder in the conflict in the Middle East, where it has strengthened its ties with Iran, which is one of the few leaders to support the nuclear program.

In August 2006, Mr. Chavez had withdrawn its diplomatic representative in Tel Aviv to express his "indignation" at the bombing of the IDF in Lebanon. His words were then led to the departure of the Israeli ambassador in Caracas.