Javier Milei met with Netanyahu and strengthened the strategic alliance with Israel

President Javier Milei held a key meeting this Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aiming to consolidate a deep geopolitical alliance between Argentina and Israel. During the meeting, held at the Israeli leader's office, Milei reiterated his full support for the State of Israel amid the regional crisis and defended "the shared values of freedom and democracy" between both nations.

The bilateral meeting took place at a time of extreme internal political tension in Israel, as Netanyahu faces a possible motion of no confidence in the Knesset. Nevertheless, the Israeli leader did not hesitate to publicly praise his Argentine counterpart: "Javier, you are a true friend of Israel and a blessing for this country," he stated.

Meetings, tributes, and condemnations of terrorism

Before meeting with Netanyahu, Milei held a closed-door conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. There, the Argentine president demanded the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, including four Argentine citizens.

"The fight against terrorism unites us as nations. We will not stop until we achieve the unconditional return of all those kidnapped," Milei stated. That bloody day resulted in a tragic toll of murders, rapes, and torture, with more than 50 people still in captivity, including three living Argentines and one deceased.

The President also recalled that the relationship with Israel is a diplomatic priority for his administration: "The friendship between our peoples is a pillar of this administration. We will not yield to cowardly criticism nor to complicity with barbarism," he stated emphatically.

Intense agenda: Knesset, Genesis Prize, and international support

In addition to the meeting with Netanyahu,  Milei will participate on Wednesday the 11th in a series of activities that reinforce his alignment with Israel: he will meet with families of those kidnapped by Hamas, visit the Holy Sepulchre, and deliver a speech at the Knesset,  where he will reaffirm his condemnation of terrorism promoted by Iran through Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

In that context, he will also receive the Genesis Prize, known as the "Jewish Nobel," which includes one million dollars that Milei announced he will donate to campaigns against antisemitism and terrorism in Latin America.

The tour will conclude on June 12 with the signing of a Memorandum for Democracy and Freedom, a presentation at the Hebrew University on his economic vision, and a return to the Western Wall, where Milei began his official visit. Afterwards, he will depart for Madrid before returning to Buenos Aires.

The presidential delegation included Secretary General Karina Milei, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, and Ambassador Axel Wahnish. All shared a relaxed meeting with Herzog and his wife, who took advantage of her command of Spanish to converse with the Argentine officials in a friendly manner.

From a geopolitical perspective, this trip reaffirms Argentina's international positioning on a common agenda with the West, strengthening the bilateral relationship with Israel in terms of security, cooperation, and shared values.