Renewed anti-Jewish developments prompted the DAIA, central representative body of Argentine Jewry, to hold an emergency meeting today following which the president of the organization told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Argentine authorities will be informed that any future aggressions against Jews might provoke retaliation by the attacked victims.
The emergency meeting was called to plan efforts to neutralize the situation created by the new anti-Jewish and Nazi provocations. These included a virulently anti-Semitic letter to the DAIA by a retired Air Force general and a ceremony in a church by a neo-Nazi group featuring a typical Nazi harangue.
Dr. Isaac Goldenberg, DAIA president, said that the DAIA had been assured by Police Chief Inspector Nicolas Rodriguez that investigations of some anti-Jewish assaults during the past two weeks have been undertaken. He expressed the hope that the situation would be normalized by vigorous efforts of the Government and police to insure the tranquility of the Jewish community.
Dr. Goldenberg also said that he will meet with Defense Minister Leopoldo Suarez about the involvement of the Air Force officer. Brig. Gen. Gilberto Hidalgo Oliva, and Col. Alexandro Laciar, who addressed the neo-Nazi church meeting, in anti-Jewish extremist actions. The DAIA leader said he also planned to meet with Antonio Cardinal Caggiano, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, about Nazi-style meetings in churches.
LOYALTY TO NAZI PRINCIPLES SWORN AT MEETING IN CHURCH
The meeting at which Col. Laciar gave what the DAIA called a typical Nasi harangue took place on Argentine Flag Day, a national holiday. It was held by members of the Guardia Restaurojora Nationalista. Dressed in Nazi-style, the participants swore loyalty to their Nazi principles in the Nuestra Senora Church of Buenos Aires.
Gen. Oliva’s statement to the DAIA, which he published as an open letter in local newspapers, attacked Zionism as virtually the source of all the evils Argentina is now suffering. He charged that the “daily provocations” of the DAIA “exceed the limits of tolerability.”
The former commander of the Cordoba Air garrison declared also that “the Jewish community which you represent forgets its duties toward the nation which received it so generously. The time has arrived to remind your co-religionists that they do not tread on conquered land. Do not misunderstand our Christian patience and do not get erroneous ideas. A sleeping lion is not a dead lion.”
Following this “introduction,” the retired officer said that “with the double weapon of Masonry and Communism, Zionism has started its action.” He then enumerated a lengthy list of charges to the Argentine Government about education, family life and related matters.
Accusing the DAIA of having “infiltrated its Zionist co-nationals in all important Government positions. Gen. Oliva charged that President Illia “only symbolically presides over a government managed by Zionists.” He also complained about “Zionist tyranny” over the press, television and literature. The letter was published in several dailies.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
