Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met with Nobel Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"María Corina Machado is a courageous woman, and her struggle is a source of inspiration to many in Venezuela and beyond. We discussed developments in Venezuela since the historic US Operation 'Absolute Resolve,' led by President Trump," said Sa'ar.
"I wish the people of Venezuela that they may soon be able to choose their leadership in free elections, after the long years of repression under Maduro and Chávez," he added.
"Dear Minister Sa’ar, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to engage in an extensive conversation about the challenges and opportunities we face in a process that is already moving Venezuela toward democracy," said Machado.
"Our country will be a reliable and stable partner for the world’s democracies and will offer major opportunities for investment and exchange. Venezuela’s reintegration into the democratic world will also allow us to build global alliances in the face of those who threaten our security," she added.
The meeting marks a potential turning point in Israeli-Venezuelan relations, as Machado is among the candidates to lead the South American nation during the upcoming democratic transition.
Venezuela broke relations with Israel in 2009 following Operation Cast Lead; shortly thereafter, then-president Hugo Chavez recognized the State of Palestine.
"Israel and Venezuela have historically shared very close ties, which we will reclaim and strengthen in this new era of democracy and freedom," Machado assured in her statement.
US-Venezuela relations improve as Machado calls for elections
The meeting comes as relations between the United States and Venezuela have improved for the first time since former President Nicolas Maduro broke them in 2019, and as current interim President Delcy Rodriguez meets with US envoys.
Machado, who has been in the Venezuelan opposition since the 2014 protests against the Maduro regime, has been calling for a transition to democracy since Maduro was captured by the US at the beginning of the year.
On Tuesday, Machado called out for students to protest in the streets of Caracas. "Today, the country decided to be free. This was unthinkable 30 days ago," wrote Machado on X.