Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently in the United States, had planned to continue his trip with a stop in Argentina—one of the few countries willing to host him—but the visit has been postponed at the request of President Javier Milei.
Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday and is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. Following that, he intended to fly to Buenos Aires. However, Milei, a staunch backer of Israel, asked for the visit to be delayed, citing Argentina’s upcoming parliamentary elections and concern it could hurt him politically at a time when his standing has weakened.
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Netanyahu and Milei meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York
(Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO)
Argentine officials stressed the decision was not directed at Israel, saying it was part of a broader policy of limiting foreign leaders’ visits during the campaign season.
Netanyahu and Milei did meet on the sidelines of the UN assembly. Afterward, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister “expressed deep appreciation to President Milei, a true friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, who stands firm against the systematic bias directed at Israel at the UN and other international forums.” The two leaders also discussed expanding economic ties and further cooperation.
The postponed trip comes amid added complications. Last month, Argentine human rights lawyers filed a criminal complaint in federal court seeking Netanyahu’s arrest if he entered the country, citing alleged responsibility for “the killing of paramedics” in Rafah in March. The complaint, submitted by attorneys Rodolfo Yanzon and Raji Sourani, head of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“It is clear that Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility as an accomplice to the war crime of causing death through starvation, and to crimes against humanity including murder, persecution and other inhumane acts,” the filing read, according to Reuters.
Earlier in August, a federal court in Argentina had already issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest following petitions by the state workers’ union ATE and the human rights group HIJOS. Local media had also reported speculation of a possible Netanyahu visit to Buenos Aires in September.