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Argentina’s president announces embassy move to Jerusalem in first bilateral visit

Milei said that he sent a bill to Argentina’s congress demanding an immediate release of all hostages.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, kicked off his first bilateral visit to Israel on Tuesday and announced he would move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem and have Hamas declared a terrorist organization.

Israel is the first country that Milei has visited since being elected President in December.

The economist-turned-politician vowed Tuesday he would fulfill his election promise to move Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem.

If the move is taken, Argentina would join other countries that have embassies in Jerusalem, including the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Papua New Guinea and Kosovo.

Hungary and the Czech Republic have branches of their embassies in Jerusalem.

Milei’s rabbi, Shimon Axel Wahnish, traveled with the president and may be named as an envoy.

Although Milei isn’t Jewish, he studies Torah regularly with Rabbi Wahnish and has discussed converting to Judaism.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz greeted Milei at the airport and said, “You are a person of values ​​who is committed only to the truth.”

Katz added, “It is no wonder that you chose to come to Israel right away to support us in the just struggle for the defense of the Jewish people against the murderers of Hamas.”

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Milei also met with President Isaac Herzog and was greeted with an IDF band playing the national anthems of both countries.

Herzog spoke to Milei about the hostage crisis and said Israel “can’t wait any longer” to bring the captives home.

“You will be visiting a country that was attacked brutally on 7 October by a brutal terrorist organization, which carried out a barbaric and sadistic attack on the people of Israel, and has taken hostage hundreds of people,” Herzog said.

“And I know that you’re supporting this fight, and I’m delivering the message through you to the entire world as well: We want them home as soon as possible,” Herzog continued. “This cannot wait any longer. Their suffering is immense. And this is against any rules of human values.”

Milei said that he sent a bill to Argentina’s congress demanding an immediate release of all hostages, including the several Argentinian citizens held in Gaza.

Herzog and Milei visited Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was heavily attacked on October 7th.

On Wednesday, Milei plans to go to the Western Wall and meet with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu.