Netanyahu denied: Argentina’s Milei snubs ‘Israeli’ PM visit over election fear
The visit of ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Argentina has been abruptly postponed, a decision analysts say signals a significant retreat by President Javier Milei who is seeking to mitigate domestic political fallout just weeks ahead of pivotal legislative elections.
The delay, confirmed to be at the request of President Milei, was officially framed by Argentine sources as a general decision concerning visits from any world leader.
However, Hebrew media reports were more explicit, citing "political reasons" and noting Milei's fear that hosting the ‘Israeli’ leader "could harm him," particularly given his weakened political standing in recent months.
Calculated Political Retreat
The decision is a striking reversal for President Milei, who has made an outspoken, unambiguous alliance with ‘Israel’ a cornerstone of his foreign policy.
Since taking office, he has publicly signaled this alignment, promising to move Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem and even launching the "Isaac Accords" to strengthen ‘Israel’–Latin America ties.
Milei’s popularity has suffered, and the administration faces crucial legislative elections on October 26, where half of the Chamber of Deputies and one-third of the Senate seats are at stake. Securing a working majority in Congress is vital for passing his drastic economic reforms.
Legal and Civil Backlash
Adding to the electoral risk was a growing legal and civil society pressure campaign aimed directly at the ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister.
Argentina, a signatory to the Rome Statute (treaty by the International Criminal Court), saw coordinated action by human rights lawyers ahead of the planned visit.
Argentine human rights attorney Rodolfo Yanzon and Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, filed a formal criminal complaint in the federal courts demanding an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu if he entered the country.
Simultaneously, the invitation triggered widespread outrage from Argentine civil society. More than a thousand prominent Argentine intellectuals and artists published a public statement rejecting the visit and labeling Netanyahu an "international criminal".
The letter "absolutely reject[ed]" Milei's invitation, accusing the President of "complicity with barbarism" and arguing that the alignment "betrays the best humanist traditions of our history".
