President Javier Milei of Argentina landed in Israel on Tuesday and made an immediate pilgrimage to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where he voiced heartfelt support for the Jewish state.

Accompanied by his sister and Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, and Ambassador Axel Wahnish, Milei walked directly to the Western Wall Plaza. He appeared visibly moved as bystanders cheered and sang songs of solidarity.

From that ancient site, hallowed in Jewish tradition as the last remnant of the Temple, Milei declared, “My support for Israel comes from the heart, because I believe this is a just cause – the cause of the West. I will always stand by your side.”

That moment of private prayer and public affirmation set the tone for a packed 48-hour visit. On Tuesday, Milei was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the King David Hotel, where they were to discuss deepening bilateral trade, security cooperation, and cultural exchange programs.

The president also plans to meet families of hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, emphasizing Argentina’s vocal condemnation of terrorism.

Milei will be receiving the Genesis Prize during his visit

Milei’s itinerary includes a ceremony at the Knesset on June 11 to receive the Genesis Prize – referenced as the “Jewish Nobel Prize” – in recognition of his government’s reversal of decades of anti-Israel voting in the United Nations and its designation of Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations.

He plans to use the $1 million award to launch a regional initiative encouraging Latin American countries to strengthen diplomatic ties with Israel, focusing initially on Costa Rica, Panama, and Uruguay.

The Argentine leader will also announce the imminent launch of a direct Buenos Aires-Tel Aviv flight, restoring nonstop connectivity for the first time since 2019. “This will be a powerful symbol of our two nations drawing closer,” Milei said in a statement provided by Argentina’s embassy.

On Thursday, the ambassador revealed to The Jerusalem Post that a working draft of the so-called Memorandum of Liberty and Democracy – better known as the Isaac Accords – had already begun circulating among legal teams in Jerusalem and Buenos Aires.

He explained that the text called for unprecedented cooperation on counterterrorism and cybercrime investigations and establishing fast-track customs lanes, joint satellite launches, and water-technology hubs along the Paraná River. According to Wahnish, these measures were designed to deepen security ties and spur economic growth and innovation across the Southern Cone.

He further disclosed that Paraguay and Ecuador had already signaled their intent to join, with President Santiago Peña and President Daniel Noboa each having designated Hamas a terrorist organization and publicly endorsed the framework.

Wahnish said discussions were ongoing with several other Latin American democracies, and he hoped the initiative would secure immediate votes for Israel at the Organization of American States and unlock new landing rights for El Al.

He added that Argentina aimed to host a Liberty International World Conference this December, bringing together heads of state to sign the accords and, if possible, to welcome US President Donald Trump as an honorary witness.