The Jerusalem Post announced the arrival of Argentinian President Javier Milei to Israel on Tuesday. His advent corresponds with earlier remarks promising the relocation of Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem. Upon landing, Milei was welcomed by Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
Argentina's President Javier Milei visits the Western Wall, the last remaining vestige of the Second Temple which is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalem's Old City on February 6, 2024.
"You are a value-driven person committed only to truth, and it is no wonder that you chose to come to Israel immediately to support us in the just struggle to defend the Jewish people against Hamas terrorists," Katz told the Argentinian president.
"I thank you for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and for your announcement now to relocate Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Welcome to Israel, Mr. President - Viva La Libertad Carajo!"
President Milei is accompanied by Argentina's Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino, the Presidential Chief of Staff, Karina Milei, and the President's Rabbi, Rabbi Shimon Axel, and his wife.
Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Milei shortly thereafter in a post on X, formerly Twitter:
"I warmly welcome the arrival to Israel of the President of Argentina, Israel's friend, Javier Milei, who announced the relocation of Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem. Welcome, dear friend!" the Jerusalem Post quoted.
The 53-year-old economist flipped traditional politics to win the Argentinian election last year. According to AlJazeera, his first official visit since taking office was a brief passing through the Davos economic forum in Switzerland, where he first stated, "My plan is to move the embassy to west Jerusalem."
"The prime minister spoke about this with President Milei after his election and welcomes the fact that the president has kept his promise," reported in a statement obtained by the news outlet.
Right-winger Netanyahu and the libertarian Milei, has been compared to former US president Donald Trump - who moved the US embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, are set to meet for talks on Wednesday to deepen ties between the two countries.
However, International Business Times reports the militant group Hamas isn't pleased with the new update as it "strongly condemns" the proposed move, calling it "an infringement of the rights of our Palestinian people to their land, and a violation of the rules of international law."
Israel seized East Jerusalem and its Old City in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and any international recognition of its status as a capital is deeply controversial.
Multiple countries have diplomatic missions to Palestine in East Jerusalem. The proposed move by Argentina would make one of only a handful of countries to have its embassy relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The United States pioneered the move in 2018 under the presidency of Donald Trump after recognizing the city as Israel's capital. Milei is often compared to Trump and has reiterated his intention to follow suit.
After his arrival to the country, Milei made his first stop to the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, where he was met with excitement from the crowd.
Some shouted his campaign slogan, "Long live freedom, damn it!" in Spanish while others waved the Argentinian flag.
IBT noted an AFP reporter saying Milei seemed visibly moved, with teary eyes, as he approached the wall and then spent several minutes against it, his arms outstretched.
Milei, known for his fiery speeches, describes himself as an "anarcho-capitalist." He was raised in a Catholic family but has studied Jewish scripture.
Argentina's Jewish community is 250,000 strong and one of the largest in Latin America.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded Argentina's move, while extreme-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said it was recognition of Jerusalem as "our eternal capital."
WHY THE CONTROVERSY?
Jerusalem is home to the holiest sites in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism and considered to be at the heart of the Arab-Israeli "conflict." To many, the city is deemed a sovereign state.
The Council on Foreign Relations declared that because of its unique cultural and religious significance, the UN General Assembly set aside Jerusalem to be a corpus separatum or separated body, under UN trusteeship when it voted in 1947 to divide the British mandate of Palestine into two states, an Arab one and a Jewish one.
