FM Ashkenazi: “Today, 17 March 2021, is the 29th anniversary of the heinous and murderous attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

“We remember with pain the twenty-nine victims of the attack and the dozens of injured, victims of a criminal act of terrorism. We send our condolences to the families of those killed and our support to the injured. My heart and the hearts of the people of Israel are with the families of the victims, including the Israeli diplomats, their spouses, the dedicated Argentinian workers at the embassy, the passers-by who were caught up in the attack and with the entire people of Argentina who also fell victim to such a severe terrorist attack.

“29 years have passed, and to this day none of those responsible for the criminal act have been brought to justice. This, despite the fact that it is known that Iran was behind not only this attack but also the attack on the AMIA Jewish center that took place two years later, in 1994, in which eighty-five people were killed and hundreds were injured.

“The State of Israel will not cease its battle against murderous terrorism. The entire free world must join the struggle against hate-filled fundamentalist terrorism that sows death and destruction.

“Iran, the country behind the attack, must be publicly condemned. Iran finances, arms and trains terrorists around the world, while continuing to strive for nuclear weapons that endanger the peace of the entire world.

“The State of Israel will continue to stand with the families of the fallen and demand that Argentina brings those responsible for the attack to justice.”

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Due to the global response to the corona pandemic, a virtual memorial service will be held today in place of the annual ceremony at the Embassy Square in Buenos Aires. The Israeli embassy in Argentina has produced a video in which senior figures, including the Presidents of Argentina and Israel, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the Israeli ambassador to Argentina and many others say the word "presente", ("present" in English), figuratively meaning: "Remember".