BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — The Jewish Agency for Israel opened its Board of Governors meeting in Buenos Aires, marking the first time in 15 years that the meeting has been held outside Israel.
Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky on Sunday night in Buenos Aires addressed a regional conference countering anti-Semitism organized by the World Zionist Organization.
“We are concerned about the Iranian presence in Latin America; it is not a responsible attitude to not be concerned about Iran, we know what Iran did in the past here,” Sharansky told JTA, referring to the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish community center that killed 85 and injured 300.
Asked about the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, Sharansky said, "I will just say that we must take some measures regarding a non-conventional regime seeking to develop non-conventional weapons.”
Sharansky was asked about a March report in the Argentinian newspaper Perfil about a secret agreement between Argentina and Iran to suspend the investigation of bombing attacks in 1992 and 1994.
“I heard about those rumors and I spoke about this issue with Argentinian Foreign Minister Timerman” Sharansky told JTA, "and after this conversation we don’t have reason to believe these rumors.”
On Monday morning, a memorial ceremony was held at the Israeli Embassy Square, the site of the Israeli Embassy until March 17, 1992, when it was attacked by a car bomb, killing 29 people. A memorial ceremony honoring the victims of the AMIA attack will follow at the rebuilt headquarters of the Jewish community of Buenos Aires.
Also Monday, Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri is scheduled to attend a reception and luncheon, and President Cristina Fernandez and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman are invited to a gala dinner.
Among those participating in the three-day Jewish Agency meeting are Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor and the president of the World Zionist Organization, Abraham Duvdevani, along with 250 leaders from Jewish institutions in the United States, Israel, Europe and Australia.
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