Argentinian President Javier Milei has announced that Argentina will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem next year. This decision marks a significant step in Milei’s pro-Israel stance and his support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government is facing increased isolation.
Currently, Argentina’s embassy is situated in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv. In a speech to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, Milei expressed pride in declaring that the embassy will be relocated to "the city of west Jerusalem" in 2026. He emphasized Argentina’s support for Israel during challenging times, while criticizing parts of the international community for allegedly siding with terrorists.
Milei’s visit to Israel is his second since taking office in 2023. He reiterated Argentina’s commitment to advocating for the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza, including four individuals with Argentinian citizenship who were taken during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
In his remarks, Milei took aim at Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was recently detained by Israeli authorities while attempting to break the naval blockade on Gaza. He accused her of seeking media attention and downplayed her claims of being kidnapped, insisting that the real issue is the hostages in Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has drawn significant international concern, with reports indicating that the death toll has surpassed 55,000 Palestinians since the outbreak of hostilities over 20 months ago.
Milei had previously promised to move the embassy during his first visit to Israel in February 2024, where he also visited the Western Wall, an important religious site for Jews. Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed the announcement, stating that Jerusalem will never be divided again.
The status of Jerusalem remains a sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Israel claims the entire city as its capital, Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Israel captured East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, a move that has not been recognized by the international community.
Currently, only a handful of countries, including the United States and Guatemala, have their embassies in West Jerusalem. The decision to relocate embassies to Jerusalem has been contentious, especially following former President Donald Trump’s recognition of the city as Israel’s capital in 2017, which sparked widespread protests and criticism.
Milei’s announcement is likely to further stir debates around the diplomatic landscape in the region, as Argentina joins a small group of nations that have chosen to recognize Jerusalem in this way.