First appearance of the new Israeli Ambassador at the square where the Embassy of Israel was located until 1992.
"Terrorism today poses a challenge to all nations, regardless of the government system, ideology or religion; it hurts us all the same and is associated with the worst: arms trade, drug trafficking, money laundering operations and everything that holds back the course of humanity. That is why we must join in the efforts to combat it", Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie stated today as he participated in the first official public appearance of the new Israeli Ambassador to Argentina, Galit Ronen, at the site where the Israeli Embassy was located until the attack in March 1992.
The ambassador, who yesterday presented her Letters of Credence to President Macri, decided to pay tribute to the victims of that attack as her first official activity at an event attended by survivors, family members, students from schools of the Jewish community, representatives of many Jewish institutions and national government officials.
"President Macri made a brave decision in our region by including Hezbollah as a terrorist group, and now other countries in the region are supporting us. It is about deciding on which side of the road we want to stand on: with those of us who want freedom, progress, peace, respect, democracy, human rights, or with those who wish to end all of that," added Faurie.
The Foreign Minister underscored the fact that "we must remember and build towards a peaceful future. The Jewish community is a very buoyant one in Argentina and it has made a major contribution to our country's identity, progress and culture throughout more than 170 years.
"Here today are the survivors, some of whom still work at the Israeli Embassy, making great personal efforts, and there is the memory of those no longer with us. We remember them because of the mark they made in our lives, not because of the memorial plaques installed here, that's why it is important that we mention their names" said the Argentine Foreign Minister after the Israeli Ambassador had read aloud the names of the victims.
When asked by the press, the Foreign Minister highlighted that "if we the Argentine people want to reaffirm the values of mutual understanding, respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence, we must have a clear notion of where it is we need to go, so as not to make mistakes."
Talking to the press, Faurie explained: "We have excellent dialogue with the State of Israel, especially because of the community's contribution and the historic bonds between us. Many high-level Israeli authorities have visited us, including the first visit by a Prime Minister in office, Benjamin Netanyahu, and even though it is true that in terms of trade Israel was the first country to have signed an agreement with MERCOSUR, we need to boost this bilateral relationship and recognize all the possibilities that an economy as technologically advanced as Israel's has to offer."
