Gideon Sa'ar, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel: “Hezbollah is still on the triple border and can act in the future”

Falcon in the political logic of Israel, and a lawyer by profession with a father born in Argentina, Gideon Sa'ar met with Alberto Fernández, Sergio Massa and Patricia Bullrich to convey a clear and direct message: Iran is the enemy of Israel, Hezbollah - its terrorist arm - operates easily in Latin America, and Tel Aviv will never abandon its demands for justice for the victims of the attacks on the Israeli embassy and AMIA.

During the official ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the attack and pay tribute to the victims executed by the terrorists, the deputy prime minister did not even blink when he finished listening to the speech of Martín Soria, sent to the event by Alberto Fernández to represent the Argentine government.

The holder of the Justice portfolio, in the same place that the Israeli embassy exploded thirty years ago, ignored the participation of Iran and Hezbollah in the terrorist operation.

Sa'ar moved with extreme discursive diplomacy to avoid direct controversy with the Casa Rosada. He replied like a chancellor, when asked about Soria's speech and his particular look at the evidence that is in the open cause of the embassy attack.

“It is clear that Iran was behind the attack and that the perpetrators belonged to Hezbollah, but according to an Iranian plan and desire. I don't think this fact is in dispute. I have received very clear messages about this and this is not in dispute between the two countries,” replied the Israeli government official.

Sa'ar received Infobae in a hotel near Recoleta that was defended as a fortress, buried discursive diplomacy when he referred to Iran's nuclear claims, acknowledged Argentina's decision to include Hezbollah on the list of terrorist groups and allowed only one warm smile when he reminded his mother who teaches about the Bible in Israel.

Here is the exclusive report to the deputy prime minister of Israel:

How did you find out about the terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy?

- I was very young at the time, and I was a law student at the University. I remember that day very clearly because Argentina has a very important emotional connotation for me, given that my father was born and raised in Argentina, and we have family here. The attack on the embassy, like the attack on AMIA, is much remembered by the Israelis.

Did you ever assume, understand, that it will be very difficult to find those responsible for the terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy, or do you think there is still a chance for more than 30 years?

— We know that justice is possible, despite the long time that has elapsed. In reference to the attack on the Israeli embassy, as in the case of AMIA, I believe that there are people who belong to the Iranian regime, who are connected to these terrorist acts, and I still hope that they will be brought to justice.

Is there a geopolitical reason to explain the succession of terrorist attacks in Argentina?

- Iran is a terrorist state. It is a state that promotes radicalization, that promotes terror, and it doesn't care where and when to do it. Iran is in South America and committed a crime in 1992 (against the Israeli Embassy), and felt confident in committing another crime, and committed it again two years later with AMIA. The Iranian State has not changed at all, it always has Israeli and Jewish targets in its sights around the world, but it is clear that this was also an attack on Argentina, it was not just an attack on Israel. Argentine citizens were killed in both attacks.

Does one of the reasons why the two attacks were repeated have to do with the fact that Argentina did not investigate thoroughly and did not find those responsible?

— Of course, that may be a logical reason.

“And do you think that at some point the Argentine justice system, regardless of the government, will be able to find those responsible?

— We never abandoned our demand, it's very clear.

Were you surprised that, on the spot, recalling the 30 years of the terrorist attack, the Minister of Justice did not refer to Iran and Hezbollah as the main perpetrators of the terrorist attack on the Embassy?

— I think this is not something that is in dispute between Argentina and Israel. And when we talk to official representatives of the country, this government, the previous one, you don't hear that this is a controversy. It is clear that Iran was behind the attack and that the perpetrators belonged to Hezbollah, but according to an Iranian plan and desire. I don't think this fact is in dispute. I have received very clear messages about this and this is not in dispute between the two countries.

“Do you not think, then, that there is a line between the non-mention of Iran and Hezbollah made by the Minister of Justice and the stay of the Argentine ambassador in Nicaragua when one of the Iranians involved in the attack on AMIA appeared during the inauguration of Daniel Ortega?

— I'm going to say very clearly what I think. I think the fact that justice has not been done in 30 years by all the different governments elected in recent years, despite the fact that this Iranian criminal vice president participated in the inauguration of President Ortega, is a very good reason to abandon this event. I would not participate in an assumption with this criminal.

Do you think there will be any evidence, any documents, any evidence in the hands of the State of Israel that could help the Argentine justice system find those responsible for the terrorist attack on the embassy and AMIA?

— We want to help and we would give our help to the authorities more than happy.

— Do you think that Russia's war against Ukraine could affect the current situation in the Middle East?

— The war will have dramatic consequences in all areas of the international arena. But the first thing we must try is to stop this war, because the escalation of this war is not good for anyone. Today we are also concerned about the agreement that can be signed in a few days between the most powerful nations on Iran. This agreement would be a serious mistake, a weak and dangerous agreement that would be over a short period of time, but which would immediately give Iran what it wants, the relief of sanctions on the Iranian economy. And this, very quickly, would bring large amounts of money into the hands of terrorist and extremist organizations, such as Hezbollah among others. So, while we are looking at events in Europe as a tragedy and we hope to be able to send humanitarian aid to help the parties end this war, we are also very concerned about this agreement with Iran.

Do you think that the decision of the President of the United States, Joseph Biden, to recover the nuclear agreement that Barack Obama had made with Iran could impact Hezbollah's operations in South America?

— Without a doubt. First of all, this agreement that we see now will be much worse than the one agreed by President Obama in 2015, because it does not push for a final closure, so this agreement will last for two and a half years and then Iran will not have any kind of limit on nuclear projects. Iran wants to have nuclear weapons to have an umbrella and with it they can feel freer to do things in the area, in South America, everywhere. Nuclear weapons in the hands of totalitarian and murderous regimes is a grave danger to the international community, not just to the Middle East. And it would undoubtedly cause an escalation throughout the Middle East.

— Does Argentina have enough intelligence capacity to prevent a new attack by Hezbollah, starting from the strengthening of Iran by its agreement with the United States?

— I am not in a position to advise on Argentina in that scenario. But what I want to say to the Argentine people is: Hezbollah is still in South America, in Venezuela, in Nicaragua, on the triple border. And one must understand that a murderous country, such as Iran, and murderous organizations, such as Hezbollah, can act in the future. It's not something that belongs to the past.

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