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Argentinian president wears yarmulka at inauguration, meets with families of Israeli captives

President Javier Milei meets with Israeli delegation on inauguration day, including families of captives in Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, was sworn in Sunday in a ceremony in Buenos Aires, nearly a month after Milei won a runoff election against then-Minister of the Economy Sergio Massa in mid-November, defeating the center-left candidate 56% to 44%.

On inauguration day, Milei held a series of meetings with foreign dignitaries ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, including a meeting with a delegation of Israelis headed by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (Likud).

The delegation included relatives of some of the over 130 Israelis still held captive by terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Relatives of the Bibas family – all four of whom were kidnapped on October 7th – were among the Israelis included in the delegation.

President Milei wore a yarmulka during the meeting, and offered his support to Israel in its ongoing war against Hamas.

“I would like to emphasize our complete solidarity with the nation of Israel after the terrorist actions Hamas perpetrated. We condemn them fully and firmly,” Milei said.

“I fully support Israel’s right to defend itself from those terrorist attacks. Additionally, we are considering declaring Hamas a terrorist organization in Argentina.”

After the meeting, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed his appreciation of Milei’s support for Israel, noting that he invited the new president to visit Israel.

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“Argentina is a strategic country in South America, and under President Milei, our friendship will strengthen. I thanked the President for his firm stance on Israel’s side in its struggle against terror, his intention to declare Hamas a terrorist organization, and his calls for the unconditional release of all hostages.”

“I invited him to visit Israel and inaugurate the Argentinian embassy in Jerusalem, as the president himself promised to do in his speeches over the past few months.”