Ezequiel Adamovsky, Maristella Svampa and Horacio Tarcus are three prominent Argentine intellectuals and they have a joint op-ed piece about the investigation into the AMIA massacre in today’s Pagina/12. They call into question the version of the attack put forward by State Attorney Albert Nisman and criticize the failure to effectively prosecute Argentines involved in the attack. Official Jewish organizations are also attacked for what the authors see as their unconditional support for the government’s approach to the investigation.

They contrast this state of affairs with what they regard as the excessive enthusiasm being shown by the authorities in the prosecution of what they describe as “supposed `antisemitic attacks´ which are imaginary in nature”. They have the grace, however, to admit that these imaginary attacks may have been carried out using questionable methods.  It’s heartening indeed to see that the cream of the nation’s intellectuals is able to recognize that there might be something wrong with cracking skulls with nunchakus and screaming “Death to the Zionist Jews!”

The article ends with the following paragraph:

In fact the real antisemitic attack which has gone unpunished in this country is the AMIA attack. Neither the memory of the victims of that savage act nor those many others which have marked the history of the Jewish people with grief should be used for political ends. The true interests of the Argentine people, including both those of Jews and of other religions, can no longer be mortgaged to suit the interests of the government of Israel. On the occasion of a new anniversary of the AMIA attack it’s imperative to see to it that the investigation does not come to a close and that the archives of the state intelligence service be opened for once and for all. In the face of ongoing injustices being committed against the Palestinian people it’s vital to defend our right to speak out.

1.

The word “Iran” doesn’t appear anywhere in the text, not even to attack the evident weaknesses in the Nisman’s case against it. Iran’s enmity with  the United States evidently puts it beyond even a hint of doubt or criticism.

2.

There is much righteous indignation expressed about the fate of Jews who were murdered 15 years ago at the same time as a violent attack on living Jews - exercising rights unquestioned when exercised by the multitude of other ethnic groups in the city of Buenos Aires - is minimized and defended.

3.

The government of Israel, working through the representative bodies of Argentine Jews and through other channels, is seen as being powerful enough to manipulate the government and judiciary of Argentina over a period of a decade and a half. Furthermore, Israeli influence on Argentina is held to be such as to put in hock the real interest of the Argentine people.

4.

The last sentence of the paragraph above is particularly puzzling.  Without quite saying it, it seems to whisper a further twist in the vast Israeli conspiracy against decent intellectuals such as the authors. Their right to speak out about injustices committed against Palestinians is somehow being limited by Israeli efforts to pin the blame for the AMIA attack on Iran. If you can figure out a more credible alternative interpretation, feel free to drop me a line.