Today, Representative María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Representative David Kustoff (R-TN), Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) led more than 100 Members of Congress to introduce H.Res. 988 which marks the 30th anniversary of the March 17th, 1992 terrorist bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The horrific event injured 242 and claimed the lives of 29 innocent Israelis and Argentinians, including school-aged children. The resolution calls for justice for the victims; accountability for the perpetrators; urges the US government to continue working with allies in the Western Hemisphere to isolate governments who support Hezbollah and Iran’s anti-Semitic attacks; and also commends the Organization of American States (OAS) for appointing a commissioner to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.
“Anti-Semitism has no place in the United States nor in Latin America,” stated Rep. Salazar. “This resolution is a firm marker of resolve that we will not cower in fear in the face of violent extremists. I stand tall and proud alongside our Jewish community, as well as everyone who values religious liberty and desires to live in freedom’s warm bright light.”
The attack was carried out by a Hezbollah suicide bomber with logistical support from Iran and was the deadliest ever on an Israeli diplomatic mission. Argentina is home to the world’s 6th largest Jewish population. Buenos Aires boasts nearly 180,000 Jews.
“Thirty years ago today, Iran launched one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Argentine history. A suicide bomber from the Islamic Jihad Organization of Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, killed 29 people and injured 242 at the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires – and the culprits of these heinous attacks have never been brought to justice,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer. “Thirty years later, Iran still remains a dangerous actor and the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. The United States must continue to work with our allies in the Western Hemisphere to isolate governments that aid and abet Hezbollah, Iran, and other entities that support violent antisemitic attacks.”
“Thirty years ago, the Jewish community in Argentina was devastated by a horrific terrorist attack at the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires that killed 29 innocent people, including children and Israeli diplomats, and wounded over two hundred others. This senseless bombing, carried out by Hezbollah with the support of Iran, ultimately brought Middle Eastern terrorism to South America. Now, as antisemitism and anti-Israel hate continues to drastically rise in the world, it is important that we work to together to address these forms of hate head-on,” said Rep. David Kustoff. “I am proud to join my colleagues today in introducing this important bipartisan resolution to remember the victims of this heinous attack, call for accountability for these evil perpetrators, and ensure we are able to continue to address and combat antisemitism.”
“Today, we mark the 30th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. On this day in 1992, Iran-backed terrorists with ties to Hezbollah killed 29 people, including Israeli diplomats and schoolchildren, and wounded 242 more, in a horrifying display of antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred,” said Rep. Ted Deutch. “As antisemitism and antisemitic attacks surge worldwide, the resolution introduced today is a powerful and important reminder of the dangers of unchecked hate in our own hemisphere and around the world. This resolution also commends the Organization of American States (OAS) for appointing a commissioner to monitor and combat anti-Semitism in the Western Hemisphere. As we applaud the OAS for their commitment, I hope that our country will soon follow their example by confirming our own Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism to work alongside the commissioner and confront antisemitism wherever it occurs. Today, and every day, we must stand united as a global community against extremism, terrorism, and antisemitism in all forms.”
“On the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, it is critical that the United States takes action to counter Iran’s growing terrorist network in Latin America and continues to stand against anti-Semitism. This Congress, along with Rep. Salazar, I was grateful to introduce the bipartisan Hizballah in Latin America Accountability Act of 2021, which promotes additional efforts to identify and stop illicit activity between Iran’s Hizballah and criminal regimes in Latin America,” said Rep. Joe Wilson.
Original Cosponsors (101) include: Josh Gottheimer* (NJ), David Kustoff* (TN), Ted Deutch* (FL), Joe Wilson* (SC), Michael McCaul (TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Greg Steube (FL), Jeff Van Drew (NJ), Bill Johnson (OH), Ann Wagner (MO), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Mike Waltz (FL), Tom McClintock (CA), Randy Weber (TX), Stephanie Murphy (FL), Doug Lamborn (CO), Susan Wild (PA), Lois Frankel (FL), Frederica S. Wilson (FL), Katie Porter (CA), Brad Sherman (CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Alex Mooney (WV), Dina Titus (NV), Carlos Gimenez (FL), Steve Cohen (TN), Rodney Davis (IL), John Rutherford (FL), Zoe Lofgren (CA), Chuck Fleischmann (TN), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Bob Gibbs (OH), Jackie Walorski (IN), Ralph Norman (SC), Grace Meng (CA), Brad Schneider (IL), Albio Sires (NJ), Lee Zeldin (NY), Mark Green (TN), Doug LaMalfa (CA), Kat Cammack (FL), Andy Biggs (AZ), Jim Costa (CA), Young Kim (CA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Carolyn Maloney (NY), Elaine Luria (VA), John Moolenaar (MI), David Joyce (OH), Russ Fulcher (ID), Ted Budd (NC), Julia Brownley (CA), Louie Gohmert (TX), John Rose (TN), Beth Van Duyne (TX), Steve Chabot (OH), Tom Suozzi (NY), Jamie Raskin (MD), Lisa McClain (MI), Guy Reschenthaler (PA), Darrell Issa (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), Haley Stevens (MI), Scott Franklin (FL), Bill Posey (FL), David Trone (MD), Tom O’Halleran (AZ), Gus Bilirakis (FL), Don Young (AK), David Schweikert (AZ), Burgess Owens (UT), David McKinley (WV), Mike Garcia (CA), Susie Lee (NV), Brian Mast (FL), Tim Burchett (TN), Chris Smith (NJ), Debbie Lesko (AZ), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Tom Cole (OK), Adrian Smith (NE), Billy Long (MO), Jake LaTurner (KS), Val Demings (FL), Kathy Manning (NC), Bill Huizenga (MI), Donald Norcross (NJ), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Scott Peters (CA), Peter Meijer (MI), Roger Williams (TX), Troy Balderson (OH), Brad Wenstrup (OH), Elise Stefanik (NY), Julia Letlow (LA), Drew Ferguson (GA), Claudia Tenney (NY), Morgan Griffith (VA), Pat Fallon (TX), and Byron Donalds (FL).
The resolution is supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
For the full resolution text, please click here.
Original source can be found here.
