WJC Regional Reports 2011 - World Jewish Congress

JULY
Buenos Aires
The LAJC organized the "5 th Meeting of Latin American
Parliamentarians," which was held to coincide with the
anniversary of the Jewish Community Center - AMIA terrorist
attack.
The meeting gathered 40 Parliamentarians from Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and
Venezuela, who honored the victims, demanded justice and
addressed the challenges of terrorism with a regional focus.
The group heard from relatives of the victims and survivors of this terrorist attack, from the Office of
the Special Investigation Unit of the AMIA case, and from Terrorism expert Meir Javedanfar who
talked about terrorist networks in Latin America. Parliamentarians also participated, along with
community leaders of their countries, in the official commemoration in remembrance of the victims
of the attack. Following the commemoration they entered the reconstructed building to sign a
statement committing themselves to the fight against terrorism. The meeting concluded with a lunch
at Argentina's Foreign Ministry, hosted by Jack Terpins and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman.
More than 150 parliamentarians from 10 countries of Latin
America have already participated in the annual meeting of
Latin American Parliamentarians.
A group of New Generation´s members from 8 different
communities of Latin America attended a seminar with experts
to evaluate different scenarios towards a unilateral declaration
of Palestinian independence. The 25 young participants,later
prepared a document with recommendations for the LAJC and
the local communities on this issue.
Epelman spoke to the Hasbara group "Shagriria", on Jewish Diplomacy.
Montevideo
Saul Gilvich, Secretary General of the LAJC, together with Claudio Epelman met the president of the
Comité Central Israelita del Uruguay, Marcos Israel.
The New Generations group of Uruguay held a meeting with Claudio Epelman on "The LAJC´s
diplomatic dimension and the regional political agenda”.
In a public ceremony in Montevideo Iran's ambassador to Uruguay, Hojjatollah Soltani, questioned
that the Holocaust happened, as frequently done by Ahmadinejad. The LAJC together with the
Comite Central Israelita del Uruguay (the Jewish community) carried out various actions until the
Uruguayan government finally condemned the declarations.
WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 8 OF 16