The event will take place on April 17 in Rosario and will feature Osman Bilal (Hamas) and Nader Sadaqa (PFLP), both released after the attack of October 7, 2023
For his part, Nader Sadaqa played command roles within the PFLP, an organization marked by multiple armed and explosive attacks in the early 2000s. As reported by The Jerusalem Post, he was involved in attacks that led to his arrest and subsequent sentence
In a national context marked by a hardening of the official discourse against terrorism, a controversial trade union initiative in the city of Rosario sparked strong criticism at the local and national levels. The call, promoted by the Rosario branch of the Association of State Workers (ATE), once again puts under the spotlight the political position of certain union sectors in the face of sensitive international conflicts. The event, organized in conjunction with pro-Palestinian groups, will take place this Friday, April 17 at 18 in San Lorenzo 1879, within the framework of the so-called “Palestinian Prisoners Day”. Two former prisoners linked to organizations classified as terrorists are expected to participate there, via video call, which sparked an immediate
reaction of repudiation.As confirmed by the Action Assembly for Palestine, the guests are Osman Bilal, a member of Hamas, and Nader Sadaqa, former commander of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Both were released after exchange agreements for Israeli hostages, in the context following the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023. Osman Bilal has an extensive history linked to terrorism. He was responsible for attacks in Israel during the nineties, leaving dozens dead and injured. His name is among the Hamas militants who received 27 life sentences for their participation in attacks described as terrorist by both the Israeli government
and international organizations.
According to the Palestinian Information Center, he participated in the planning of the suicide bus attacks in July and August 1995, which together left 12 dead and more than 140 injured.
Both regained their freedom as part of international negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar, in which hundreds of terrorists were exchanged for Israeli hostages kidnapped during the October 2023 attack.
Despite this background, the event in Rosario presents them as “activists and former prisoners”, in what different sectors interpret as an attempt to soften or relatize their violent history. The initiative generated strong controversy because of ATE's institutional support and because of the platform granted to figures associated with high-impact attacks
.The rejection was also felt by the Argentinian Jewish community, who expressed concern at the holding of the event, recalling that the country was the scene of two devastating terrorist attacks: the attack on the Israeli Embassy in 1992 and the AMIA attack in 1994.
