World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Tuesday welcomed Argentine President Mauricio Macri at a gathering of more than 400 Jewish leaders from around the world.
Speaking at the opening dinner of the WJC Plenary Assembly in Buenos Aires, Lauder said: "It is not by accident that we are here." The gathering will discuss the terrorist attacks of 1992, against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, and 1994, against the main Jewish center in the city. Both have been blamed on Iran and Hezbollah. In his speech, Macri said his government was "fully committed to contribute in any way we can to make headway with this investigation."
Ronald S. Lauder said the Jewish people trusted Macri to deliver on this pledge. His election as president last fall represented a turning point not just for Argentina, but it also showed that Argentina wanted better and stronger ties with the international Jewish community.
Referring to the two terrible terrorist attacks that hit the country in 1992 and 1994 and whose investigations have been marred over the years by scandal, the WJC president said: "These were not just attacks on Jews, but attacks on Argentina […].The killing of Alberto Nisman was not just an attack on a Jewish lawyer. This was an attack on Argentina’s entire system of justice […] President Macri, you have promised that after all this time, Argentina will bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. We believe you. We trust you. And the World Jewish Congress stands with you to help in any way that we can.”
Lauder also highlighted Macri’s support for Israel and his pledge to fight for human rights and against terrorism: “History shows: countries that side with democracies like the United States, and Israel, see their economies expand. They see their countries grow stronger… But when countries side with totalitarian governments, like Cuba and Iran, the only thing they produce for their people is poverty, and unrest.”
Macri: ‘Argentina is back in the world, ready to join battles for human rights and against terror’
In his speech to the dinner guests, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said: “Argentina is back in the world and stands ready to join in all battles for human rights, and against terrorism.”
The Argentine head of state, who took office in November 2015, recalled his decision to immediately cancel the controversial memorandum of understanding his predecessor had signed with Iran with respect to the AMIA bombing probe and emphasized that he had always considered that deal “unconstitutional”.
“Here, we suffer the ravaging consequences of two bomb attacks. We are still in the dark of what happened,” Macri declared, adding: “We are fully committed to contribute in any way we can to make headway with this investigation.”
Iran is suspected by the Argentine judiciary of having masterminded the 1994 AMIA bombing, in which 85 people were killed and hundreds wounded, but so far, neither the probe of this attack, nor the investigation of the 1992 Israel Embassy bombing in Buenos Aires, in which 29 people died, have been completed.
The WJC plenary formally opens on Wednesday to discuss a number of items on the agenda, including the two terrorist attacks in Argentina.
