Argentina’s President Javier Milei Declares Hamas a Terrorist Group, Aligns with Israel
On Friday, Argentina’s President Javier Milei declared Hamas a terrorist organization and ordered a freeze on the financial assets of the Palestinian group. This move symbolizes Milei’s pro-Israel stance as he seeks to align Argentina with Israel and the US.
Milei’s office cited Hamas’ cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 250 people hostage. This was one of the deadliest assaults in Israel’s history. The statement also mentioned Hamas’ close ties to Iran, which Argentina blames for two deadly militant attacks on Jewish sites in the country.
The announcement comes just days before the 30th anniversary of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and wounded hundreds more. The other attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992 killed more than 20 people. Argentina’s judiciary has accused members of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group of carrying out the two attacks.
On Friday, Milei announced his “unwavering commitment to recognizing terrorists for what they are,” adding that “it’s the first time that there is a political will to do so.” The US, European Union, and several other countries have also designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Previous left-leaning Peronist governments in Argentina have maintained friendly ties with Israel but also voiced support for Palestinian statehood. Milei’s office stated, “Argentina must once again align itself with Western civilization.” For his first state visit as president earlier this year, Milei flew to Jerusalem to show support for the Israeli government and promised to move Argentina’s embassy to the contested capital, drawing praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ire from Hamas.