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Argentina–Israel relations

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Relations between Argentina and Israel began shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948, with the countries establishing diplomatic relations on 31 May 1949.

Argentina-Israel relations
Map indicating locations of Israel and Argentina

Israel
Argentina
Diplomatic mission
Israeli Embassy, Buenos AiresArgentine Embassy, Tel Aviv
Envoy
Ambassador Galit Ronen[1]Ambassador Axel Wahnish[2]

History

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20th century

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The countries established diplomatic relations on 31 May 1949.[3]

Relations between the two were tied during the early years of Nazi hunting when Israel's Mossad kidnapped former Nazi Adolf Eichmann despite Argentine protestations of a violation of its sovereignty. Immediately after World War II, Argentina was a safe haven for former Nazi officials because they brought badly needed capital investment and/or technical expertise.[citation needed]

According to declassified British Foreign and Commonwealth Office documents, Israel sold arms to Argentina before and during the Falklands War in 1982. The arms sales to Argentina included Douglas A-4 Skyhawk jets which would later be used in the war with the United Kingdom.[4]

Carlos Menem was the first head of state of Argentina to make a diplomatic visit to Israel, in 1991. He proposed to mediate between Israel and Syria in their negotiations over the Golan Heights.[5] However, the relations were further tested when Hezbollah was blamed for bombing the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community centre in 1992 and 1994, respectively. Since 2013, roughly 100 Jewish organisations across Argentina have called for the government to repeal its pact with the Islamic Republic of Iran over the AMIA terrorist attacks.[6][7]

21st century

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While Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America, there have been various cases of anti-Semitism in Argentina,[8][9][10] such as the desecration of 58 Jewish graves in La Tablada by unknown peoples in 2009,[11] mostly due to negative stereotypes of Jews controlling business interests and dominating the world through capitalism, as well as Israel's affiliation with the United States.[12][13][14]

In 2010, Argentina announced the intention to join Brazil in recognising an independent Palestinian state, provoking sharp criticism from Israel.[15] On 6 December 2010, Argentina subsequently recognised the State of Palestine on the borders of 4 June 1967 (i.e., the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem), which constituted Arab territory prior to the Six-Day War.[16] In 2012, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner met an Israeli-Palestinian delegation and announced that Argentina would spearhead the Latin American role in reinvigorating the peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[15]

In September 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid an official visit to Argentina, becoming the first Israeli Prime Minister in office to visit Argentina and Latin America.[17]

In March 2019, two Iranian citizens used fake Israeli passports to leave Spain and different fake Israeli passports to enter Argentina. Realising that the passports were fraudulent, Argentinian police arrested the suspects. Argentinian prosecutors discovered that the suspects had previously used fake passports to enter other countries, including Portugal.[18]

In January 2020, President Alberto Fernández travelled to Israel for his first presidential trip abroad. There he paid respects to the victims of the Holocaust and maintained a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who thanked him for keeping Hezbollah branded as a terrorist organisation, a measure taken by Fernández's predecessor Mauricio Macri.[19][20]

 
President Javier Milei and Israeli President Isaac Herzog shake hands in Beit HaNassi in Jerusalem on 6 February 2024

In the aftermath of the 2023 Argentine general election and Javier Milei's victory, President-elect Milei pledged to move the Argentine Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,[21][22] and announced as part of "a spiritual trip" alongside rabbis he studies with, Milei would visit the Western Wall and Israel before his inauguration on 10 December 2023.[23][24] In December 2023, President Javier Milei announced that his government is working on designating Hamas as a terrorist organization.[25] In February 2024, Argentinian President Javier Milei visited Israel, making Israel his first bilateral overseas destination as president.[26] In May 2024, President Javier Milei's government broke with Argentina’s previous position on Palestine, voting against recognition of Palestinian state at United Nations. The vote was in line with the country’s pro-Israel shift in its foreign policy.[27]

Resident diplomatic missions

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Former Israeli embassy in Argentina

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Novaresio, Luis (21 October 2019). "Galit Ronen, la nueva embajadora de Israel en la Argentina: ¿Cómo puede ser que todavía no haya justicia en los casos de AMIA y Embajada?". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Javier Milei designó a su rabino como embajador de la Argentina en Israel". Infobae (in Spanish). 10 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Biblioteca Nacional de Tratados [National Treaties Library]" (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  4. ^ Blair, David (24 August 2016). "Israel sold weapons to Argentina at height of Falklands War, reveal declassified Foreign Office files". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  5. ^ Reich, Bernard (2008). Historical Dictionary of Israel. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 52. ISBN 9780810864030.
  6. ^ "AMIA: la comunidad judía pedirá derogar el acuerdo". La Nacion (in Spanish). 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. ^ Lev, David (28 January 2013). "Argentine Jews Slam 'Truth Commission' Deal With Iran". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01.
  8. ^ Crece el odio a los judíos en Argentina
  9. ^ "No sé por qué a los judíos nos odian tanto". La Nacion (in Spanish). 5 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  10. ^ Forero, Juan; Partlow, Joshua (8 February 2009). "Jews in S. America Increasingly Uneasy". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  11. ^ Perasso, Valeria (15 September 2009). "¿Crece el antisemitismo en Argentina?". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ Doberti, Javier (18 May 2009). "Anti-Semitic violence stirs concern in Argentina". CNN. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Argentina anti-Semitism drops overall, grows online". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  15. ^ a b Akiva Eldar (2012-02-11). "Argentine President calls for regional involvement in Israeli-Palestinian conflict". Haaretz. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  16. ^ Government of Argentina (6 December 2010). "La Republica Argentina ha reconocido a Palestina como Estado libre e independiente". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Netanyahu Touches Down in Argentina for 'Historic' Latin America Visit". Haaretz. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  18. ^ Einhorn, Alon (March 25, 2019). "Argentinian Minister Reveals Details on Iranians with Israeli Passports". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  19. ^ Lejtman, Román (24 January 2020). "Alberto Fernández, a Netanyahu: "Nuestro compromiso por saber la verdad de lo que pasó en la AMIA es absoluto"". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  20. ^ "Benjamin Netanyahu felicitó a Alberto Fernández por mantener la postura contra Hezbollah". Perfíl (in Spanish). 24 January 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  21. ^ "Argentina's Milei Plans 'Spiritual' Trip to US and Israel Before Taking Office". Bloomberg.com. 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  22. ^ "Who is Argentina's Israel-loving president-elect, Javier Milei?". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  23. ^ "President-Elect Javier Milei Promises 'Spiritual' Israel Trip, Will Move Embassy to Jerusalem - The Jewish Voice". thejewishvoice.com. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  24. ^ Melamed/JTA, Juan; Press, Associated (2023-11-20). "With an Israeli flag and a chainsaw: 'Trump of Argentina' elected president". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  25. ^ "Milei confirmó que el Gobierno "está trabajando" para declarar a Hamas como organización terrorista". La Nación (in Spanish). 23 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  26. ^ "Argentina's Milei feted and criticised for Jerusalem embassy plan". France 24. 6 February 2024.
  27. ^ Massoud, Adla (10 May 2024). "Which nine countries voted against Palestine's UN membership?". The National.
  28. ^ Embassy of Argentina in Tel-Aviv (in Spanish)
  29. ^ Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires (in Spanish)
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