An event marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Israel
Date: 16.12.2024
Today (Monday, 16 December 2024), the Argentine Embassy in Israel held an event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the 75th anniversary of relations between Israel and Argentina. The event was chaired by President of Israel Yitzhak Herzog, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar, and the Ambassador of Argentina to Israel Shimon Axel Wahnish.
The event opened with a reception featuring an exhibition by Argentine artist Oscar Soler, entitled Bridges Between Buenos Aires and Jerusalem. The event featured paintings and drawings of iconic buildings in both cities. Each of the pieces illustrates not only the unique architecture of each city but also reflects the culture and history of the countries. The exhibition will be displayed in the entrance hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem next month as a sign of the close ties between the two countries, which began in 1949.
Argentina has the largest Jewish community on the South American continent. The Argentine community in Israel is deeply involved in Israeli society. In recognition of the community’s activities in Israel and as evidence of the relationship between the nations, the Ambassador honored four prominent members of the Argentine community in Israel who, through their public work, serve as a bridge between nations: former Knesset member and economist Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, Yad Vashem Chairman Mr. Danny Dayan, Head of Mission for Israel Emergency Response at IsraAID, Ms. Tali Groshaus and footballer Mr. Marco Wolff.
Argentina was the first South American country to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and last July President Milei declared Hamas a terrorist organization. Argentina was recently elected president of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and is the only country on the South American continent to be a full member of the organization. Argentina is working with Israel to try to free the dual-citizen abductees in Gaza, including the Bibas family. The event was attended by families of abductees and released captives holding Argentine citizenship; they were invited to the stage to call for the rapid release of the 100 abductees still held by Hamas.
President of Israel Yitzhak Herzog: “It is a great honor to celebrate a courageous and beautiful friendship between nations. The ties between our countries have expanded in many new directions, and there is no doubt that the bridges between us have become stronger than ever under the leadership of my dear friend, President Javier Milei, who, after the brutal massacre of October 7, came to Israel on a visit of solidarity. Now, in Israel, in Argentina, and around the world, we continue to hear the cries of our brothers and sisters, including Argentine citizens, who are still being held in the tunnels in Gaza. We continue to cry out and demand together that this heinous and ongoing crime against humanity be ended.”
Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana: “Under the leadership of President Milei, the relationship between Israel and Argentina has never been better. I experienced the warmth of friendship just a few months ago, during my visit to Buenos Aires, where I met with President Milei, his cabinet ministers, and my counterpart, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem. In the midst of the traumatic period we are experiencing, Argentina has become the North Star of freedom and a moral compass that resonates on the world stage, including in its defense of Israel against the hypocrisy of the United Nations. We have come here today to thank Milei, the Parliament, and the Argentine people for the special bond we share. For seventy-five years, our alliance has not only stood the test of time – it is reaching its peak.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar: “Unfortunately, we also have a history of shared tragedies, which we are still experiencing today. On October 7, Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks took the lives of many Israeli-Argentine citizens. Among the hostages still held captive by Hamas are Israeli and Argentine citizens. Israel and Argentina stand together on this issue. Israel is committed to reaching a deal to release the hostages. I would like to thank President Javier Milei and Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein for their commitment to strengthening the friendship between our countries. Under President Milei’s leadership, Argentina has entered a new era. We thank our dear friend, President Milei, for his announcement that he intends to move the Argentine embassy to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people. I intend to make every effort to strengthen the ties between our countries. I plan to visit Buenos Aires this March, along with a delegation from the private sector. This will be an opportunity to advance our ties to the next level.”
Ambassador of Argentina to Israel Shimon Axel Wahnish: “For 74 years, Argentina has been a partner of Israel. Today, as we celebrate 75 years of relations between our countries, under President Javier Milei, Argentina becomes a friend. As part of the close relations between the countries, we are working on a joint agreement that will be a counter to the agreement that the Argentine government previously signed with Iran. The goal of this agreement is to promote democracy, freedom, and combat terrorism. In moments of crisis, true friends come to light. From the first moment of his presidency, President Milei supported Israel’s right to defend itself, condemned the brutality of the attack by the Hamas terrorist organization, and called for the immediate release of all the hostages.”
