MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei halts scheduled trip to Israel

Milei was visited at Casa Rosada by Israel's Ambassador Eyal Sela (L) and World Holocaust Remembrance Center and International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance President Dani Dayan (R)

Argentine President Javier Milei announced Wednesday that he suspended his planned trip to Israel this coming weekend. Although no specific reason was given, it is speculated that the resumption of hostilities against the terrorist group Hamas coupled with various domestic challenges tipped the scale in this direction.

The Libertarian leader was to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a memorandum of understanding against terrorism, receive the “Jewish Nobel” from the Genesis Prize Foundation, and advance the relocation of the South American country's Embassy to Jerusalem.

But the retirees' demonstration scheduled for later Wednesday, in addition to the Lower House debate of his Emergency Decree (DNU) clearing the way for further borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are also believed to have played a role. (See also: Peronists oppose Milei's intention to take another loan from the IMF)

Furthermore, his absence would have left Vice President Victoria Villarruel in charge of the March 24 Truth and Memory Day holiday created to remember those tortured and killed during the military regime starting on that date in 1976. She is known not to be on the same page with the head of State and her father being an Army officer back then - plus her stance regarding the victims of terrorism in the 1970s - might fuel further violence.

Milei has recently canceled trips to Spain, Chile, and the province of Mendoza following the Bahía Blanca floods and other events interfering with his agenda. The President's reduced public exposure shows the country's crises on various fronts amid regional instability.

According to Casa Rosada sources, Milei will be rescheduling his trip to Israel for a later date. “The President of the Nation has decided to postpone his trip to Israel, scheduled for the coming days,” Spokesman Manuel Adorni posted on X. It was going to be Milei's second trip to Israel since his inauguration after the one he made in Feb. 2024.