“What corresponded was to abstain”

For an hour and a half, in a climate that in the previous one had been fraught with tension, DAIA leaders asked Alberto Fernández for the country’s vote against Israel at the UN and criticized him that “abstention would have been the most conservative scenario. “.

“What was up to Argentina was to abstain. The government explained that Hamas was never legitimized as a valid organization. We said that from now on it would be good if there were other ways to condemn terrorism. What belonged to Argentina was to abstain, “Jorge Knoblovits, president of the entity, assured journalists accredited to Government House after the meeting with the president.

The government contented itself with issuing a brief and formal statement, with a photo of the meeting, in which Fernández defended his government’s position.

Knoblovits arrived at Casa Rosada a few minutes before 5 p.m., accompanied by the first vice-president of the entity, David stalman; the secretary general, Alejandro Zuchowicki; the treasurer, Marcos Cohen, and the president of the Federal Council, Fabián Neiman, of the DAIA of Tucumán. Fernández ended a relaxed conversation with Pablo Echarri and a group of actors, who visited Minister Martín Soria.

The head of state and the DAIA leadership arranged the meeting in a phone conversation they had on Thursday, shortly after the government voted in the United Nations Human Rights Council in favor of the creation of a commission to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes. in Gaza, a resolution promoted by Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

That day, Fernández spoke with Knoblovits and Neiman: the Casa Rosada then tried to prevent the blood from reaching the river, and designed the meeting which was confirmed on Sunday.

The conversation, which lasted 90 minutes and which Knoblovits said was “honest, agile and transparent”, took place the same day the Israeli government summoned the ambassador. Sergio Urribarri, posted there, to protest the vote at the UN, which tied Argentina with countries like Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela and Russia.

“Being in a space like the Human Rights Council, with countries which are not democratic, which systematically violate human rights, which do not respect individual freedoms, see my country vote in this direction. .. “, said Knoblovits after the meeting at the central courtyard of the government residence.

Accompanied by Chancellor Felipe Solá and Secretary of Worship Guillermo Oliveri, the President listened to the demands of Jewish leaders. And he explained why Argentina voted this way: he pointed out, in fact, that The Bachelet report was “moderate”.

“They told us that Argentina historically respects multilateralism. We respond that we do not agree with this membership, and that from now on, I hope there will not be. we will be able to take joint measures so that this does not happen again in Argentina. This situation that occurred in the Middle East, and we come to talk about what happened in Argentina, has increased anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and coexistence in communities.The Knoblovits abounded.

For the government, Fernández’s decision to approve the vote at the United Nations on the conflict between Israel and Palestine is nothing new. “It’s the line we’ve always held“, Said official sources linked to the meeting.

However, the resolution the country has joined with a group of 24 countries – Namibia, Burkina Faso, China, Gabon, Indonesia, Libya, Mauritania and Venezuela, in addition to those mentioned – endorsed by Bachelet, which presumes that the missile the attacks launched by Israel in Gaza, killing 255 Palestinians, could constitute “war crimes”, fell ugly in the Jewish community.

“They listened to us. The president made it clear that he has absolutely no problem with the State of Israel., otherwise the opposite. But hey, it will be managed by the State of Israel with the Argentine State, ”insisted the head of the DAIA. He also said that as a result of the conflict in the Middle East and the government’s response to the UN, “anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism has intensified and coexistence in communities.”