“My plan is to move the embassy here” in Jerusalem, stated by the far-right leader Javier Milei. He touched down at Ben Gurion Airport, where Israel’s chancellor greeted him with open arms. He declared, “It’s an honor to be here. I keep my promise to visit first.” He added a frank commitment: support Israel against Hamas’s terrorism, framing his trip as a stand for regional security and shared values.
Milei aims to push further in aligning with leaders who have challenged the status quo on diplomatic missions. He references a shift similar to what other leaders have discussed and contested, noting that moving the embassy to Jerusalem is a highly sensitive issue with delicate balances in the Middle East. Jerusalem is revered as the Jewish holy city, yet it is viewed with special regard by Muslims and Christians alike, complicating international posture. The Buenos Aires newspaper People From Buenos Aires echoed the concern that delaying the embassy move effectively recognizes Israel’s claims over Jerusalem, a status tied to post-war international discourse in 1947.
Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, speaking at a campaign event where La Libertad Avanza waved the Israeli flag, suggested that such a policy would take time to implement. She also referenced outreach events with ceremonial elements, including the shofar, the ram’s horn used in Jewish ritual life and sacred texts like the Torah and Tanakh. Mondino emphasized that the present situation in Israel strengthens the case for backing the Jewish state’s security interests.
Political and religious agenda
Milei is scheduled to visit the Western Wall with Rabbi Axel Wahnis, pray at the Wall’s precincts, study at Minharot Hakotel, and light candles in memory of those who died in the October 7 Hamas attack. He will also meet with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and is expected to deepen bilateral ties during his stay. He is set to be received by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of ongoing high-level discussions.
Conversion considerations
Raised in a Catholic home, Milei has spoken about spiritual support and the influence of sacred texts. In the weeks before taking office, he traveled to New York for personal reasons and visited the grave of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the late leader of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. There, he prayed and expressed gratitude, seeking wisdom, courage, and moderation as he prepared for his presidency. He wore a small talit-like head covering on certain sacred sites during these moments.
Scholarly regard for Menachem Mendel Schneerson also informs Milei’s affinity with Netanyahu, as the late rabbi’s ideas echoed some right-leaning libertarian themes. Schneerson’s historical stance included skepticism about regional peace accords, which frames Milei’s orientation in the broader context of intellectual currents within Israeli politics. Milei has connected with Jewish mentors who have guided his understanding of Torah study and the Jewish calendar in practical ways.
Milei’s approach to Judaism grew through connections with influential figures such as Axel Wahnis, described as a Jewish-Moroccan rabbi who offered personal guidance. Other religious advisors have emphasized a practical, economical lens on scripture, encouraging Milei to engage with Jewish texts in a way that aligns with his political worldview. The path he contemplates involves deep cultural and religious engagement while maintaining the trappings of a modern state leader.
Early in his public life, Milei expressed interest in exploring Judaism more fully. If he pursues a formal conversion, observers note that he would need to adhere to certain practices that harmonize with state duties: daily prayer, ritual cleanliness, and other observances shaped by Jewish tradition, all weighed against the responsibilities of national leadership.