Argentina Jews Call for Ouster of Hector Timerman From Umbrella Group

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By JTA January 29, 2015

Two member parties of AMIA have requested that Argentina’s foreign minister, Hector Timerman, be expelled from the Buenos Aires community organization.

On Tuesday, Plural Jai and AMIA Es De Todos sent AMIA President Leonardo Jmelnitzky formal requests to revoke Timerman’s membership for his role in brokering a pact with Iran in 2013 to jointly investigate the deadly 1994 bombing at the center. The pact has been widely criticized.

AMIA’s elected members help implement Jewish initiatives throughout Argentina.

The requests followed a Holocaust commemoration ceremony at the AMIA building.

Timerman was named with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s 300-page complaint claiming a cover-up of Iran’s role in the bombing, which killed 85 and injured hundreds. Nisman was found shot dead several days after filing the complaint.

Timerman is the son of the late Jacobo Timerman, a well-known human rights activist during Argentina’s military dictatorship.

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