“General San Martín is Argentina’s foremost national hero, and it is especially important to us to celebrate his memory here in the Holy Land.”
KKL-JNF held a ceremony in memory of José de San Martín in Eshtaol Forest to mark the anniversary of the death of this Argentinian military commander and statesman who was one of the leaders of the movement for the liberation of Latin America from Spanish rule.
“Together with our partners from KKL-JNF, here today we remember our national hero and the founder of our nation,” declared Carlos Faustino García, Argentina’s ambassador to Israel. “General San Martín fought for our freedom, just as the founders of the State of Israel fought for theirs. The strong bonds that connect Israel and Argentina are strengthened further by the 300,000 Jews who live in Argentina and the 70,000 Israelis of Argentinean extraction who live in Israel,” he added.
General San Martín is known as El Libertador (the liberator) because of his central role in Latin America’s struggle for independence. He took part in battles in North Africa, where he was injured, and later fought against revolutionary France (1793-1795), against the Portuguese in the War of the Oranges (1801) and against the army of Napoleon in the Battle of Bailén (1808), for which he was awarded a gold medal. He died in France in 1850.
The monument to General San Martín in Eshtaol Forest’s memorial plaza bears this statement from the general, which reveals his qualities as a man: “My aim is but the aim of all humanity.” The plaza was established some twenty-five years ago with funds donated by Friends of KKL-JNF in Argentina; KKL-JNF plans to continue to develop and improve the site.
Eshtaol Forest extends over an area of around 12,000 dunam (approx 3,000 acres) in the northern part of the Judean foothills, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. KKL-JNF began to plant the forest some sixty years ago, and has continued to care for it ever since, enhancing it with scenic routes and picnic areas for the benefit of the many visitors to the area.
“The memorial ceremony for General San Martín offers us an opportunity to continue to extend and strengthen cooperation between our two nations,” said Hernan Felman of KKL-JNF’s Board of Directors. “KKL-JNF is concerned with developing the State of Israel and it uses its expertise to cooperate with others on projects involving agriculture, water and forestry.”
“General San Martín is Argentina’s foremost national hero, and it is especially important to us to celebrate his memory here in the Holy Land,” said Argentinian Military Attaché in Israel General Juan Antonío Zamora.