Israel and Venezuela Renew Consular Ties After 17 Years

On Tuesday, Israel and Venezuela declared a restoration of their consular relations, concluding a 17-year diplomatic hiatus. This decision follows Israel's aid efforts in June, when it dispatched a disaster response team to assist Venezuela after a series of catastrophic earthquakes. The renewed ties come in the wake of a U.S. military operation in January that resulted in the removal of Nicolás Maduro, leaving interim President Delcy Rodríguez facing pressure from the Biden administration. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia facilitated the negotiations, establishing a framework for consular service collaboration.