Argentine President Javier Milei left today for a provocative five-day trip to Israel, for the purpose of publicly defending that country’s “legitimate right to self-defense” against Palestinians in Gaza—that is, genocide. He is accompanied by his sister Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Presidency, from whom he is inseparable; Foreign Minister Diana Mondino; and his “spiritual adviser” Rabbi Axel Wahnish, whom he has also named as Argentina’s ambassador to Israel. Wahnish has no diplomatic experience.
Milei is the first Ibero-American President to travel to Israel since Oct. 7. He has several meetings set up, including with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Israel Katz. He has emphasized that his visit is to make clear his total support and affection for Israel and condemnation of Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7. Among other things he will be meeting with families of hostages and visiting the Nir Oz kibbutz that was attacked on Oct. 7. He will be visiting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem before traveling on to Rome to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and then to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis, scheduled for Feb. 12.
