BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — The Jewish community of Buenos Aires commemorated the 21st anniversary of a deadly attack on the city’s Israeli embassy.
Nearly 1,500 people participated in Sunday’s demonstration organized by the embassy to mark the attack, which Argentina and Israel blame on Iran.
On the afternoon of March 17, 1992, a suicide bomber drove a truck loaded with explosives into the front of the embassy, killing 29 and injuring 242.
Sunday’s rally also was protesting the Memorandum of Understanding signed recently between Argentina and Iran on a joint investigation of the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Over Jewish community protests, Argentina’s congress last month approved the agreement.
The attack, which killed 85 and injured hundreds, is believed to have been carried out under orders from Tehran. Six Iranians are wanted by Interpol in connection with the bombing, including Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi.
Maria Eugenia Vidal, vice chief of the Buenos Aires city government, told the crowd on Sunday, “The bomb exploded in the center of Buenos Aires, in the middle of the heart of all Argentinians.”
AMIA President Guillermo Borger told JTA that the number of demonstrators this year was higher than in previous commemorations, in part because people wanted to express their opposition to the agreement with Iran.
U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Vilma Martinez also attended the demonstration. No high-ranking members of Argentina’s national government participated.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
