President Javier Milei demanded that Hamas release the four remaining Argentine hostages and ratified his alignment with Israel, saying he is committed to “combatting terrorism” in a joint statement with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He later met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although details of the meeting were not released.

The President and Presidency Secretary Karina Milei met Netanyahu on Tuesday as part of Milei’s visit to Europe and the Middle East. On Monday, he prayed at the Wailing Wall for the second time since taking office. He was arriving from France, where he met President Emmanuel Macron.

Milei’s steadfast support of Israel stands out at a time when the country has faced mounting pressure from its allies over its military campaign and aid blockade in the Gaza Strip, which has taken a devastating toll on civilians, including children. A top EU diplomat said in April that its actions went beyond self-defense. French President Emmanuel Macron called Israel’s blockade of aid entering the strip “a disgrace” and called for a ceasefire on Monday.

“Friendship between our two states and people is a diplomatic pillar of our administration,” Milei said in the joint statement with Herzog. “As a nation, we want to stand firm beside you as you transit these dark days.”

Milei said that the fight against terrorism “brings together” Argentina and Israel, and that the Middle Eastern country is “a beacon of light that shines over the path to freedom and the commitment to civilization” by rejecting a “cowardly surrender” to Hamas.

He also mentioned the 27 Argentines killed during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the 21 Argentine hostages, four of whom remain kidnapped: Eitan Horn, Ariel and David Cunio, and Lior Rudaeff. Milei demanded the release of all of the remaining hostages.

Milei’s trip to Europe and Israel

President Milei is currently on a nine-day trip to Europe and Israel, which has already taken him to the Vatican, Italy, Spain and France. It is his longest international trip as president so far.

On Wednesday, Milei will visit the Holy Sepulcher, meet relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas, and receive the official medal for the Genesis Prize, commonly referred to as the Jewish Nobel Prize. Israel granted him the award in January for his unwavering support of Israel during the conflict in Gaza.

Milei has sided with Netanyahu in Israel’s ongoing attack on the Gaza Strip, which to date has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The attack followed Hamas’ attack on Israel, when the Palestinian militant group killed 1,200 and kidnapped 251 others.

On Monday, Milei participated in the United Nations’ Ocean Conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite Milei’s climate change-skeptic views, he accepted Macron’s invitation, in an apparent goodwill gesture. 

Deputy Fernando Iglesias (PRO), head of the Lower House’s Foreign Relations Committee, joined Milei at the UN conference. He said that Antonio Acosta, head of the European Council, “came up to greet President Javier Milei and Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to ratify the importance of definitively approving the agreement between the Mercosur and the European Union, and his personal commitment with the issue.”

Milei’s first stop on his tour was the Vatican, where he met Pope Leo XIV for the first time. In Rome, he met Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and signed an investment commitment contract between two Argentine and Italian energy companies.

In Spain, he did not meet any government officials, instead attending a far-right event called the Madrid Economic Forum, where he called Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez a “local crook.” 

After signing a “Memorandum of Understanding for Democracy and Freedom” with Israel and announcing the start of direct flights between Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv on Thursday, Milei will return to Madrid to receive an award and meet with businesspeople. He is set to return to Argentina on Saturday.