Ben-Gvir called for the recognition of Argentine sovereignty over the Falklands, and Somtrich demanded the expulsion of the British ambassador "tonight"
“Expel the British ambassador tonight!,” wrote the Israeli official. Smotrich also accused the British Government of maintaining a hostile policy towards Israel and concluded his message with a strong historical reference: “The British Mandate in the Land of Israel has ended.”
The relations between Israel and the United Kingdom are experiencing one of their most tense moments in recent decades, amid a succession of accusations, diplomatic threats, and increasingly harsh public statements between officials from both governments.
The Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called for the Government of Benjamín Netanyahu to officially recognize Argentina's sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and impose sanctions on the United Kingdom while the British occupation continues.
“It is time for the State of Israel to publicly recognize that the Falkland Islands are Argentine territory under occupation,” said Ben-Gvir, who also questioned British oil exploitation in the archipelago and accused London of appropriating resources belonging to the Argentine people.
Hours later, the Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, raised the tone even further against the British Government and directly demanded the expulsion of the British ambassador to Israel.
The statements come amid a sustained deterioration of bilateral relations. One of the latest exchanges originated after Israel publicly denied accusations from the British Government regarding alleged restrictions on the entry of medicines into Gaza. Israeli authorities asserted that there is no blockade on medicines and maintained that since the ceasefire began, 22,500 tons of medical supplies have entered.
The dispute has been dragging on for months and intensified after the United Kingdom recognized the "State" of Palestine in September 2025, a decision that affects the national security and sovereignty of the State of Israel.
In this context, the Falklands issue has begun to appear with increasing frequency in the discussion. Even Yair Netanyahu, son of the Israeli Prime Minister, had publicly stated that the Falkland Islands are Argentine and accused London of “hypocrisy.”
The new position expressed by Ben-Gvir is particularly relevant for the Government of Javier Milei, which in recent days has intensified its diplomatic and economic strategy to defend the Argentine rights over the archipelago and halt the exploitation of natural resources belonging to all Argentines.
