Latin American politicians show solidarity with Israel

International delegation arrives in Israel to meet with Barkat, Noam Schalit.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
At a time when foreign politicians have been sailing toward Gaza to embarrass Israel, 300 people, including 60 senators and congressmen from 14 Latin American countries and five European nations, arrived here on Sunday on a four-day solidarity mission.
The group will meet with cabinet members, MKs, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Noam Schalit, father of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. They will also tour the Knesset and hold a conference aimed at advancing shared values on a broad spectrum of political, legal and social issues.
“We are truly grateful to see the growing regional and global support demonstrated this year at the 2010 Jerusalem International Conference,” said Dr. William Soto, international director and founder of Amisrael, the nonprofit organization that sponsored the mission. “It is reassuring to see that so many world leaders have come together to address these very important issues, based on a spirit of cooperation and on our shared values.
Amisrael, which is based in Brazil, established the JerusalemInternational Conference as a key annual event bringing togethergovernment ministers, legislative and judicial officials, and academicleaders from across the continent to mobilize support for peace andgeneral humanitarian values.
While the annual conference has been known in recent years as thelargest gathering of Latin American politicians in Israel, the eventthis year is distinguished by having attracted the participation ofseveral European delegates as well.
A spokesman for the mission said last week’s Gaza flotilla would be akey issue at the conference, along with Iran’s progressing nuclearprogram and hostile rhetoric directed against Israel. As much of LatinAmerica has been perceived as a pro-Iranian bloc on these issues,Amisrael and the delegates have come to demonstrate to the world thatthis is not the case.