Hundreds of people took part in a march in Buenos Aires on Monday in support of Israel following the deadly terror attacks carried out by the Islamist group Hamas in the Middle East.
Headed by the country's leading Jewish organisations, the march in Almagro was a chance for porteños to show solidarity with Israel.
Meanwhile, left-wing groups held a counter-rally in the centre of Buenos Aires in support of Palestine and to demand an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The pro-Israel rally took place on a symbolic corner of the capital's Almagro neighbourhood, where the Estado de Israel and Estado de Palestina streets intersect. The national anthems of both Israel and Argentina were played during the event, while demonstrators waved Israeli flags.
A stage was set up at the site and speeches were delivered by the presidents of DAIA, Víctor Garelik; AMIA, Amos Linetzky, and the Argentine Zionist Organisation, Sergio Pikholtz.
A number of opposition politicians were also in attendance, including a number of leaders from the PRO party, including Buenos Aires City Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta; the candidate to succeed him, Jorge Macri; national deputies Diego Santilli and Waldo Wolff and former human rights secretary Claudio Avruj. US ambassador to Argentina Marc Stanley was also present.
"The only solution is for the Gaza Strip, which originally belonged to the Jewish people, to be vacated," Rafael Yablonosky, a 60-year-old doctor, said as he rallied.
"I came to support all the people who are going to fight for their country, for their people and for their family," said Ronit Natapoff, a 26-year-old from Israel who recently moved to the capital.
Argentina, with some 300,000 members, has the largest Jewish community in Latin America.
The Jewish community has suffered two serious attacks in Argentina, both in Buenos Aires. In 1992 the Israeli headquarters were bombed, killing 29 people and in 1994 an attack against the AMIA Jewish community centre, the worst in Argentina's history, which left another 85 dead.
According to Argentina's Foreign Ministry, at least seven Argentine citizens have been killed, with another 15 people reported missing.
Argentina's Defence Ministry has established an emergency operation to repatriate more than 600 Argentines to the country as soon as possible. Departures can be requested at the country's consulate in Tel Aviv.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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