Javier Milei’s agenda in Israel does not differ from that of other presidents who have visited the country: landing in Tel-Aviv, face to face with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and a visit to the Wailing Wall. A classic route that, however, in his case, is being unusual. In just two days, the Argentinian far-right leader has given Israel an embassy in Jerusalem, in line with his historic speech and devotion.
“It wasn’t just another visit from a president”, summed up Dani Dayan, director of the Holocaust Museum, with affection this Wednesday, after guiding Milei through the memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazi regime during the Second World War World, to urge him to fan the well-known “perpetual flame” and to place a stone over the memory of the ashes “of the martyrs”, in the style of the Jewish offerings. “You are raising Argentina’s commitment to the Jewish people”, Dayan, an Israeli of Argentine origin, thanked him.
The people in Israel barely recognize him as “the guy with the big hair”, who is thinking of converting to Judaism and “loves” the Hebrew State. But for the Argentinians who support him, going to Israel in the middle of the bombings in Gaza and being the first Latin American leader to go there after the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7, is to position Argentina on the board international, with countries that are “on the right side”.
This was the most important message that Milei hinted at at the Holocaust Museum, where he used a story from the Talmud to call for the release of the 136 hostages – 9 Argentines – and equated Hamas with “modern Nazism”, without make mention of Palestinian civilians. “Looking at the dark images of the Holocaust, I wonder where the free world was then. And today I ask myself the same question again: where is the voice of the free world demanding the release of those kidnapped more than a hundred days ago?”.
In his delivery, in addition to changing the location of the diplomatic headquarters to “West Jerusalem” – which means accepting the conflicting position of recognizing the Holy City as the capital of Israel -, Milei promised that he would send two bills to the Congress to declare Hamas a “terrorist organization” and demand the return of the hostages; their faces can be seen at Buenos Aires International Airport.
For this reason, Netanyahu did not hesitate to call Milei a “great friend of the Jewish State” during the previous meeting. A meeting to which Milei went with a pin that had twinned the flags of Argentina and Israel and a yellow ribbon, symbol of the demand for the release of the hostages, which the Israeli prime minister did not even wear.
Determined to leave no boxes unticked, the Argentine president also planted a tree in the Forest of Nations, fulfilling a Jewish tradition that involves strengthening his roots in Jerusalem, and toured the Old City. This before facing a Thursday focused on the consequences of 7-O, which will include a visit to the Nir Oz kibbutz, attacked by Hamas, and a meeting with relatives of hostages.
