JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Javier Milei welcomed Argentinian President Javier Milei to Israel on Wednesday, praising the libertarian leader’s commitment to free markets, and his solidarity with Israel against the threat of terror from Iran.
Milei arrived Tuesday, and immediately declared that Argentina would be moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He then prayed at the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, before meeting Israel’s ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, and kicking off a busy schedule that involved a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, on Wednesday, among other events.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Wednesday, 7 February 2024), at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, met with Argentinian President Javier Milei, first privately and then in an expanded meeting during which the Prime Minister thanked the President for his decision to declare Hamas a terrorist organization and for his unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
The two also agreed on the launch of joint business delegations in various areas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu at the start of the meeting:
“I’m delighted to welcome you, President Milei, and your delegation, to Israel. You’re a great friend of the Jewish state. We are delighted with your decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move your diplomatic post there, and also, of course, an embassy.
“We had a conversation now discussing free markets. This is something that we both champion, and you are leading this in Argentina. We have led this in Israel. We can do a lot more together.
“We share the desire for prosperity, security and peace. We know that the greatest challenge to peace in our area, but also in yours, is Iran. And we appreciate the cooperation that we are doing with you in security and diplomacy.
“Your stalwart support for Israel in so many forms is deeply, deeply appreciated.
“Welcome to Jerusalem. Welcome, friend.”
Netanyahu, who as finance minister helped liberalize Israel’s economy, shares many of Milei’s views on free markets. Milei has also been strongly supportive of Israel, both in the war against Hamas and in the face of ongoing threats from the Iranian regime.
Iran is believed to have been behind the 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA), a Jewish community institution in Buenos Aires, which at the time (before 9/11) was the single deadliest terrorist attack in the Western hemisphere.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
