Argentina–Israel relations

Argentina–Israel relations refer to international relations between Argentina and Israel. Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1949.[3] Argentina was the first South American country to recognize Israel.[4]

Argentina-Israel relations

Israel
Argentina
Diplomatic mission
Israeli Embassy, Buenos AiresArgentine Embassy, Tel Aviv
Envoy
Ambassador Galit Ronen[1]Ambassador Sergio Urribarri[2]

History
President Mauricio Macri and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Buenos Aires, in 2017.
President Alberto Fernández and Netanyahu in Jerusalem, in 2020.

Relations between the two were tied during the early years of Nazi hunting when Israel's Mossad kidnapped former Nazi Adolf Eichmann despite Argentine protestations of a violation of its sovereignty. Immediately after World War II, Argentina was a safe haven for former Nazi officials because they brought badly needed capital investment and/or technical expertise.

According to declassified British Foreign and Commonwealth Office documents, Israel sold arms to Argentina before and during the Falklands War. The arms sales to Argentina included Douglas A-4 Skyhawk jets which would later be used in the war with the United Kingdom.[5]

Carlos Menem was the first head of state of Argentina to make a diplomatic visit to Israel, in 1991. He proposed to mediate between Israel and Syria in their negotiations over the Golan Heights.[6] However, the relations were further tested when Hezbollah was blamed for bombing the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community centre in 1992 and 1994, respectively. Since 2013, roughly 100 Jewish organizations across Argentina have called for the government to repeal its pact with the Islamic Republic of Iran over the AMIA terrorist attacks.[7][8]

In 2012, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner met an Israeli-Palestinian delegation and announced that Argentina would spearhead the Latin American role in reinvigorating the peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. In 2010, Argentina announced the intention to join Brazil in recognizing an independent Palestinian state, provoking sharp criticism from Israel.[9]

While Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America, there have been various cases of anti-Semitism in Argentina,[10][11][12] such as the desecration of 58 Jewish graves in La Tablada by unknown peoples in 2009,[13] mostly due to negative stereotypes of Jews controlling business interests and dominating the world through capitalism, as well as Israel's affiliation with the United States.[14][15][16]

In September 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid an official visit to Argentina, becoming the first Israeli Prime Minister in office to visit Argentina and Latin America.[17]

In March 2019, two Iranian citizens used fake Israeli passports to leave Spain and different fake Israeli passports to enter Argentina. Realizing that the passports were fraudulent, Argentinian police arrested the suspects. Argentinian prosecutors discovered that the suspects had previously used fake passports to enter other countries, including Portugal.[18]

In January 2020, President Alberto Fernández traveled to Israel for his first presidential trip abroad. There he paid respects to the victims of the Holocaust and maintained a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who thanked him for keeping Hezbollah branded as a terrorist organization, a measure taken by former President Mauricio Macri.[19][20]

Resident diplomatic missions
Former Israeli embassy in Argentina
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See also

References
  1. Novaresio, Luis (21 October 2019). "Galit Ronen, la nueva embajadora de Israel en la Argentina: ¿Cómo puede ser que todavía no haya justicia en los casos de AMIA y Embajada?". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. "Israel concedió el plácet a Urribarri como embajador argentino". Perfil (in Spanish). 7 January 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. "Biblioteca Nacional de Tratados [National Treaties Library]" (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  4. "La Argentina inauguró la aceptación latinoamericana". La Nación (in Spanish). 30 April 1998. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  5. Blair, David (24 August 2016). "Israel sold weapons to Argentina at height of Falklands War, reveal declassified Foreign Office files". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  6. Reich, Bernard (2008). Historical Dictionary of Israel. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 52.
  7. AMIA: la comunidad judía pedirá derogar el acuerdo
  8. Lev, David (28 January 2013). "Argentine Jews Slam 'Truth Commission' Deal With Iran". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01.
  9. Akiva Eldar (2012-02-11). "Argentine President calls for regional involvement in Israeli-Palestinian conflict". Haaretz. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  10. Crece el odio a los judíos en Argentina
  11. No sé por qué a los judíos nos odian tanto
  12. Jews in S. America Increasingly Uneasy
  13. ¿Crece el antisemitismo en Argentina?
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "Anti-Semitic violence stirs concern in Argentina". CNN. 18 May 2009.
  17. Netanyahu Touches Down in Argentina for 'Historic' Latin America Visit
  18. Einhorn, Alon (March 25, 2019). "Argentinian Minister Reveals Details on Iranians with Israeli Passports". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  19. Lejtman, Román (24 January 2020). "Alberto Fernández, a Netanyahu: "Nuestro compromiso por saber la verdad de lo que pasó en la AMIA es absoluto"". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  20. "Benjamin Netanyahu felicitó a Alberto Fernández por mantener la postura contra Hezbollah". Perfíl (in Spanish). 24 January 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  21. Embassy of Argentina in Tel-Aviv (in Spanish)
  22. Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires (in Spanish)
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