BUENOS AIRES (JTA) — Argentina’s Jewish community criticized its country’s diplomats for not walking out during the Iranian president’s address at Durban II.
In response, the Argentine Foreign Ministry “categorically” rejected the anti-Israel statements by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s made to the United Nations-sponsored conference.
“For Argentina, Holocaust denial is unacceptable," the Argentine government said in a statement. "That is why Bishop Richard Williamson was expelled from the country last February: He had doubted that Jews had been victims of genocide.”
The Israeli ambassador to Argentina criticized conference organizers for allowing Ahmadinejad to speak.
“The extremist and racist countries of the world are taking advantage of the ingenuity and good will of democratic countries,” Daniel Gazit said.
Aldo Donzis, the president of Argentina’s DAIA Jewish community political umbrella, and Latin American Simon Wiesenthal Center representative Sergio
Widder had criticized Argentine diplomats for not leaving the conference.
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