Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Photo: Google

PULSE NEWS MEXICO

The Israeli Embassy in Mexico issued a strong condemnation of the administration of leftist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) on Monday, Oct. 9, for not condemning the brutal and unprovoked acts against its people by the terrorist group Hamas over the weekend that have led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians.

In a written press release issued on Monday afternoon in response to López Obrador’s comments earlier in the day — in which he called for “peaceful negotiations on both sides,” without condemning the multipronged attacks by Hamas and savage murders and hostage-taking of both Israeli soldiers and civilians, including women, children and elderly Holocaust survivors — the embassy said that it wanted to “express its disagreement” with the Mexican head of state in relation to the horrific events in Israel.

“We would appreciate if the government of Mexico could consider a position that strongly condemns the barbaric acts perpetrated by the terrorist organization Hamas,” the statement said.

“We firmly believe in the importance of condemning those acts that endanger the lives of civilians, as well as rejecting any manifestation of terrorism that threatens regional and international stability.”

The Israeli Embassy statement went on to say that “Hamas is a terrorist group that explicitly seeks to murder Israelis and Jews, as stated in its founding charter.”

“During these attacks, Hamas carried out a massive incursion, with the infiltration by air, sea and land of more than 1,000 terrorists into Israeli territory, with the aim of causing the maximum possible devastation against the civilian population in Israel,” the statement said.

“Hamas has replicated the barbarity of the Islamic State (ISIS), killing girls, boys, young people, parents, older adults and entire families in cold blood. More than 700 innocent civilians have been killed, and more than 2,600 are injured.”

Additionally, the embassy statement noted that “more than 130 people are missing or have been kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip, among them two Mexican citizens, in addition to dozens of people of various nationalities and entire families who have been taken hostage.”

“These chilling figures continue to increase unabated,” the statement added.

“Also, Hamas has fired more than 3,500 rockets and missiles indiscriminately toward towns and cities, killing and wounding hundreds of people. These terrorist attacks and launches continue to steadily increase.”

The statement concluded by pointing out that “these ruthless and brutal attacks reveal the true nature of these terrorist organizations: bloodthirsty, lacking any moral scruples, motivated by hatred and the will to harm Israeli citizens.”

As history has repeatedly taught us, maintaining a neutral position rather than taking sides ultimately means endorsing and supporting terrorism.

“Hamas has no interest in the safety or wellbeing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, but rather sees them as mere pawns in their sinister game to hurt the citizens of Israel,” the embassy said.

“We deeply regret that the government of Mexico has not adopted a more energetic and decisive stance in this situation. The international community has the responsibility to act forcefully to demand the immediate release of the captives and to firmly condemn this cruel and inhumane massacre. As history has repeatedly taught us, maintaining a neutral position rather than taking sides ultimately means endorsing and supporting terrorism.”

The embassy statement said that Jerusalem “appreciates the solidarity and support of those who share our vision of a world free of terrorism and barbaric acts.”

During his daily press conference on Monday, AMLO said that he did not “consider that violence should be used” to resolve the conflict, which was initiated by the unprovoked attacks on Israel and to which Israel has responded with bombings and incursions against Hamas into the Gaza Strip in defense of its people and national sovereignty.

López Obrador also said that he did not “want to take sides” and spoke about seeking a “balanced” negotiation between the Israelis and Hamas through negotiations.

Later in the day, Israeli Ambassador to Mexico Einat Kranz Neiger said in an interview  that “talking about balance, talking about wanting peace and that the two parties have to sit down to talk at this moment is like supporting terrorism.”

“I say this with all due respect, President López Obrador’s words this morning seem to us to be out of context,” the Israeli envoy said.