Latin Analysis: Milei’s Pro-Israel Pivot Sets Argentina Apart In A Divided Region
Tomas Cuesta / Stringer
In a significant development in Argentine Israeli relations, Argentina’s President Javier Milei announced last week that his government plans to move its embassy in Israel from its current location near Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2026. This appears to be part of a larger strategy on behalf of Milei, to prove to his Israeli counterparts that Israel has Argentina’s full support during this turbulent and violent period of the conflict in Gaza. Milei also reiterated his demand that all Israeli hostages be released immediately, including four Argentinian citizens who have been held captive since the October 7 attacks. Milei also used the speech to the Knesset – Israeli parliament – to criticize Swedish activist Greta Thunberg for her Palestine advocacy work and involvement in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship, which planned to break the Israeli block on aid flows going into Gaza. Milei had no shortage of negative things to say about the reaction of the international community to the conflict in the Middle East, who he argued are “manipulated by terrorists and turning victims into perpetrators.” Milei’s recent actions have reinforced a trend that has been witnessed in Argentina since he took power in December 2023, which has seen the country strengthening its relationship with Israel. This is in stark contrast to the actions of other Latin American states over the last few years as the most recent phase of the conflict has developed, clearly marking Argentina as an outlier on the continent.
Since the beginning of his political career, Milei has made his admiration for the Israeli state clear. During his campaign, he was seen with an Israeli flag and discussed more cordial relations with Netanyahu’s government during a presidential election debate. Upon becoming president, Milei chose Israel as the location for his first state visit and has visited again recently. During one of these visits, he was seen visibly emotional after visiting the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. These efforts have not gone unnoticed by the Israeli regime, with Netanyahu himself calling Milei a “great friend of the Jewish state”following a meeting between the two leaders early this year. These comments are unsurprising really, given that Milei has proven through his foreign policy that he is indeed a close ally of Israel. For example, in 2024, Milei ended Argentina’s historic position on the Middle East and voted against Palestine being able to “submit their own resolutions and fully participate in UN and international conferences”. Argentina was one of only 13 countries to do so, including the United States and Israel. Thus, the relocation of the embassy is just yet another step in Milei’s wider campaign to bring the country closer to its traditional Western allies.
However, it appears that Milei’s link to Israel has been informed by an evolving interest in Judaism. It is reported that he undertook Torah study while he was a presidential candidate, and he was seen on the campaign trail quoting the Torah. Additionally, he used a shofar, a “ram’s horn trumpet blasted during the Jewish High Holy Days” to signify the end of his presidential campaign. He is believed to have revered the figure of Moses since childhood. Milei even said that “if it were not for the challenges of observing the Jewish Sabbath while serving as president, he would convert to Judaism.”
Although Milei’s flirtation with the practices of Judaism and the protection of the Israeli state may indeed be rooted in his deep theological and personal connection to it, some commentators are more skeptical. Many critics see this dedication as a response to him facing pro-Nazi accusations in 2021, which pushed Milei to overemphasize his links to Judaism. Many of those who are wary of Milei’s rhetoric around Judaism come from within Argentina’s Jewish community; ahead of his election victory, “nearly 4,000 Argentine Jewish intellectuals signed a petition voicing concern over Milei’s “political use of Judaism””. Whatever the reasons behind Milei’s close involvement with Judaism and subsequently, closer diplomatic relations with Israel, it is clear that it marks a significant shift in Argentina’s foreign policy.
It is not necessary to go too far back into Argentina’s political history to see that Milei’s clear pro-Israel stance is a break from the status quo in the country. Just 15 years ago, the government of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner recognized Palestine’s statehood. At the time this was seen to be consistent with the ideology of that administration, which is considered one of the leftist governments of the so-called ‘pink tide’ which swept across Latin America at the turn of the century. Going even further back, Argentina- which was actually considered as an option for a “national home for the Jews” before Palestine was chosen as the final location for modern state of Israel- actually abstained in the vote on UN resolution 181, the UN Partition Plan that created the Jewish and Arab states. However, Argentina did also abstain on a UN vote arguing that Zionism is a form of racial discrimination. Additionally, the bombing of the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992 is something that has weighed heavy on the country and is a dark part of its history for its Jewish population. Thus, Argentina’s position on Israel and Palestine has not been clear cut. However, it has never been as pro-Israel as what is being witnessed under Milei’s leadership.
Not only is Milei’s policy a significant departure from Argentina’s historic position, but also a stark contrast to the relative consensus across Latin America on this issue. While Milei was forging cordial bonds with the Netanyahu government and asserting his administration’s support of Israel, countries like Colombia and Bolivia have served diplomatic ties with Israel over their actions in Gaza. Colombian president Gustavo Petro even called the Israeli Prime Minister a “genocidal president”. Following the recent escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, even more Latin American governments appear to be distancing themselves from Israel, with Brazilian president Lula da Silva expressing his "firm condemnation" of Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but failing to wage the same criticisms against Iran. This has come about during talk that Brazil is considering cutting military ties with the Israeli government for their actions in the Gaza Strip. The only country on the continent that has demonstrated similar levels of support for Israel is Panama. Panama has a long history of cordial relations with Israel, since it voted for the creation of the Jewish state in 1947. As of 2025, it is the only Latin American country that does not recognize the state of Palestine.
Considering this, it is undeniable that Javier Milei’s personal views on Israel have profoundly influenced Argentina’s policy attitude towards the conflict in the Middle East. For the Israeli government and some pro-Israel figures in Argentina, this has come as a welcome development. However, many remain unconvinced of Milei’s sincerity, and some people are concerned over his perceived ‘politicization’ of Judaism for political gain. Whatever his motives are, Milei has managed to completely shift Argentine foreign policy during less than two years in power. This will potentially have a knock-on impact on its relationship with the rest of Latin America, with the exception of Panama, as these countries move further away from Israel while Milei edges even closer.
