Netanyahu Calls Iran a 'Systematic Aggressor' at AMIA Ceremony

The Prime Minister of Israel, who is on a trip to South America, attended a memorial ceremony for the victims of two bombings in the 1990s against the Israeli embassy and the Jewish community center in Argentina, referring to Iran as the architect of both attacks and a 'systematic aggressor.' According to Israeli media, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday, September 11, during the first day of his visit to Argentina, spoke at the renovated building of the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, which was also the site of the exploded Israeli embassy, stating, 'Iran lit the fuse for these crimes.' In the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy, 29 people were killed, including several diplomatic staff, and 220 were injured. Two years later, in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center, 85 people were killed and over 300 were injured. Argentina's long investigation into that bombing concluded that the bombing plan was drawn in Iran, with its execution handed over to Hezbollah in cooperation with Iranian institutions. Interpol, the international police, later issued arrest warrants for several Iranian officials, including Imad Mughniyeh, the then senior operational chief of Hezbollah, for their involvement in that bombing. On Monday, based on a statement from the Israeli embassy in Argentina, Netanyahu said, 'Iran planned those horrific attacks and is still the main supporter of terrorism in the world, and all countries are obliged to fight Iranian terrorism.' Netanyahu added that Iran sent Hezbollah as the arms of a 'terrorist octopus' to Latin America and the world in the 1990s and is still 'sending weapons to Latin America.' Iran has denied all allegations of involvement in both attacks. According to AFP, while heavily guarded by security forces, Netanyahu also met with activists from the Jewish community in Argentina. However, Israeli media reported that some Argentine Jews refrained from attending the meeting with Netanyahu to show that the Jewish community in the country has diverse opinions on Israeli policies. Approximately 300,000 Jews from Argentina constitute the largest Jewish community in South America. The efforts of Mauricio Macri's government to renew investigations into the AMIA bombing and the suspicious death of Judge Alberto Nisman, the chief investigator of that bombing, have been welcomed by Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Israeli and Argentine media, Netanyahu also met with the family of Judge Nisman, who were Jewish; Nisman was killed in his home two years ago. Despite changes in Argentina's government policies regarding Israel following Mauricio Macri's rise to power, Netanyahu's presence in Argentina has faced criticism and protests. According to AFP, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist in Argentina, described Netanyahu as the leader of a country accused of committing civilian massacres and bombing Palestinian schools, mosques, and hospitals. Pérez Esquivel also stated that Israel supported previous dictatorial governments in Argentina. According to AFP, this Nobel laureate referred to Israel's policy of refusing to extradite Teodoro Aníbal Gaoto, a figure from the military government of Argentina from 1976 to 1983; during those years, the right-wing regime in Argentina was accused of committing 'crimes against humanity' and was responsible for the disappearance of tens of thousands of Argentine opponents of the government. Gaoto has lived in Israel since 2003 under the name Yosef Carmel in Haifa. However, Netanyahu's government rejected the 2015 requests from Interpol and former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's government for Gaoto's extradition. Israeli and Argentine media reported that banners and posters opposing Netanyahu's visit had been installed in the streets of Buenos Aires days before his arrival, with some images depicting Netanyahu's face superimposed with Adolf Hitler's. AFP also reported that Palestinian supporters would protest on Tuesday, September 12, during Netanyahu's second day of visit coinciding with his meeting with Mauricio Macri, the President of Argentina. On Tuesday, Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet with Horacio Cartes, the President of Paraguay, who traveled to Argentina for the meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister. Argentina, which became a refuge for some fleeing Nazi leaders after World War II, will also transfer about 140,000 documents and photos related to these Nazis to Israel during Netanyahu's visit to assist in research related to Jews during World War II. After Argentina, Netanyahu will visit Colombia and Mexico, and then he will go to New York to meet with President Donald Trump and speak at the United Nations General Assembly on September 28.