Maduro said in a statement on the foreign ministry 's Web site . Maduro said Venezuela 's actions are compatible with its support for the creation of a Palestinian state . He has not spoken , he said , with any Israeli officials over this week 's expulsion of the Venezuelan diplomats . `` The response of the state of Israel is weak , late , and in any case for us it 's an honor , '' Maduro told the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera . `` We 're proud that the state of Israel that exists today , led by these criminals , made this decision . '' Israel and Venezuela have had diplomatic tensions before . Israel recalled its ambassador to Venezuela in August 2006 `` in protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela , Hugo Chavez , in light of his outrageous defamatory remarks against the state of Israel , and in reaction to the recalling of the Venezuela ambassador to Israel , '' the foreign ministry said at the time . A January 21 cease-fire put an end to fighting between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel , which had launched a three-week
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel has expelled Venezuela 's ambassador in response to Venezuela 's expulsion of an Israeli envoy and the rupture of diplomatic relations earlier this month . A pro-Palestinian mural in the Venezuelan capital , Caracas . Venezuelan head of mission Roland Betancourt and two other diplomats were given until Friday to leave . `` Due to the decision of Venezuela to cut relations with us a few weeks ago , we told the Venezuelan charge d'affaires that he and his staff should leave Israel , '' Foreign Ministry official Lior Hayat said . `` We told them they are declared persona non grata in Israel . '' Venezuela expelled Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Cohen and staff on January 6 and broke off diplomatic relations on January 14 in protest of Israel 's attack on Gaza . Bolivia also broke off relations with Israel that day . Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro defended his country 's actions , saying Israel violated basic human rights with its military action . `` Our decisions were just , correct , aligned with and adjusted with the spirit of our constitution , which mandates that we seek international peace , ''