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When it was uncovered that Mossad had taken Eichmann right off the streets of Argentina, both the United States and Argentina demanded that he be returned in order to stand trial in a proper court of law. Why would this demand, particularly from Argentina, have sounded hollow to the Israelis?

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Final answer:

The demand from Argentina and the United States for the return of Adolf Eichmann might have seemed hollow to Israel due to doubts about their commitment to justice for Holocaust crimes and Argentina's history of harboring former Nazis.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Mossad captured Adolf Eichmann from Argentina and transported him to Israel for trial, the demand for his return by the United States and Argentina could have seemed hollow to the Israelis for several reasons. First, considering the gravity of Eichmann's crimes as one of the key logistical organizers of the Holocaust, the Israelis would likely have doubted whether any other country would prosecute him with the same level of commitment and understanding of the enormity of his crimes. Second, Argentina's record during World War II, as a country that provided refuge to many former Nazis, could have contributed to the impression that Argentina would not be overly enthusiastic in bringing Eichmann to justice.

Additionally, historical events such as the precedent of the Dreyfus affair, the questionable fairness in the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and international events impacting legal proceedings in different nations, could have informed the Israeli perspective on the importance of trying Eichmann in a court that fully grasped the context and seriousness of his offenses.

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