Remarks by
Alexis Ludwig
July 18, 2019
Madam Chair, I want to begin by thanking the delegation of Argentina for placing this important issue on the agenda of our Permanent Council.
Betty Ehrenberg of the World Jewish Congress and Executive Secretary Paulo Abrao, thank you as well for joining us.
Colleagues, today we solemnly recall the 25th anniversary of the attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires. We remember the 85 victims whose lives were cut tragically short and the over 300 injured, and express our support for their families and friends.
We gather today to continue making their memories a blessing and to renew – with Argentines and people of good will from around the world – our commitment to pursue “justice, justice alone.”
As we do so, we also remember the men and women murdered in Buenos Aires on March 17th, 1992, in a similar attack against the Embassy of Israel.
These attacks, perpetrated by Hizballah at the direction of the regime in Iran, targeted Argentina’s Jewish community but affected all freedom-loving people.
Madam Chair, we remain as outraged today as we did then at the cruelty of these attacks. The United States will always stand with the victims of these attacks, with their families, and with the Argentine people and their government as they work with the international community to see justice done.
To this end, the United States reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice and protecting the hemisphere from the threat of terrorism.
We therefore reiterate our call on the Iranian government to cooperate fully with Argentine authorities as they work to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice.
Argentina joins with the United States in combatting terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. Just last month, Argentina co-hosted with us a law enforcement workshop focused on Hizballah activities in the region.
And as we meet today, Argentina is hosting the United States and many leaders from throughout the hemisphere at the Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial in Buenos Aires. The Ministerial honors this important anniversary by deepening regional cooperation to bolster our counterterrorism efforts and to hold individuals linked to Hizballah and other terrorist organizations accountable for their actions.
As part of the Ministerial tomorrow, Secretary of State Pompeo will join Foreign Minister Faurie and AMIA President Eichbaum at AMIA headquarters to honor victims and commemorate the bombing.
Today’s session of the Permanent Council, along with the ministerial, reflect the fact that we must all learn from one another to develop our tools and policies, cooperate closely, and be faster and smarter than the terrorists.
Simply put, Madam Chair, our shared safety depends on shared security measures and facing the threat together. Thank you very much.
Argentina joins with the United States in combatting terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. Just last month, Argentina co-hosted with us a law enforcement workshop focused on Hizballah activities in the region.
And as we meet today, Argentina is hosting the United States and many leaders from throughout the hemisphere at the Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial in Buenos Aires. The Ministerial honors this important anniversary by deepening regional cooperation to bolster our counterterrorism efforts and to hold individuals linked to Hizballah and other terrorist organizations accountable for their actions.
As part of the Ministerial tomorrow, Secretary of State Pompeo will join Foreign Minister Faurie and AMIA President Eichbaum at AMIA headquarters to honor victims and commemorate the bombing.
Today’s session of the Permanent Council, along with the ministerial, reflect the fact that we must all learn from one another to develop our tools and policies, cooperate closely, and be faster and smarter than the terrorists.
Simply put, Madam Chair, our shared safety depends on shared security measures and facing the threat together. Thank you very much.
