Javier Milei Sings and Lights Torch at Israel’s 78th Independence Day in Jerusalem

Argentina’s President Javier Milei appeared at Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations in Jerusalem by singing and lighting a ceremonial torch, an event Al Jazeera described as Milei “sings and lights torch for Israeli national day.”

Al Jazeera said Milei “doubled down on relations with Israel at a time when other leaders are distancing themselves,” framing the appearance as a deliberate choice during the anniversary.

Al Jazeera

la Repubblica reported that Milei “canta ‘Libre’ e accende la torcia sul palco,” describing a moment during rehearsals in which he stepped on stage, sang “Libre” with two performers, embraced them, and then lit a symbolic torch.

i24NEWS similarly characterized the cameo as “Argentina's President Javier Milei's spirited cameo at a state ceremony in Jerusalem, celebrating Israel's 78th anniversary,” saying he “perform a song and lights a torch to popular acclaim.”

Haaretz placed the torch-lighting within a broader set of competing narratives, saying Israel marked its 78th Independence Day with the official torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

ynetnews added that the state ceremony marking the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day took place Tuesday evening at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, with the annual torch-lighting scheduled for “7:45 p.m.” and proceeding as planned.

Across the coverage, the common thread is that Milei’s participation was tied to the torch-lighting ceremony in Jerusalem and included a performance of “Libre.”

Multiple outlets described how Milei’s appearance unfolded around the ceremony’s rehearsals and the performance of “Libre.”

ynetnews said organizers conducted a “full dress rehearsal Sunday,” and that Milei’s participation was “recorded during the rehearsal and will be broadcast as part of the ceremony,” while also noting that Milei “returned to his country earlier Tuesday.”

Haaretz

ynetnews added that during the rehearsal, Milei “received a warm reception” and joined singers Lila Malkus and Hananel Edri in performing the Spanish song “Libre” (“Free”), originally by Nino Bravo.

la Repubblica similarly described Milei “sale sul palco, canta “Libre” con due performer, li abbraccia e accende una torcia simbolica,” emphasizing that the video showed a “momento fuori protocollo” and a final dedication “alla gloria dello Stato di Israele.”

Al Jazeera’s account focused less on rehearsal mechanics and more on the diplomatic meaning, stating Milei “sang and lit a ceremonial torch at Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations” and tying the act to his decision to “doubled down on relations with Israel.”

i24NEWS described the cameo as a “spirited cameo” and said Milei “perform a song and lights a torch,” presenting the moment as a rallying performance.

Haaretz placed the torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl alongside “a large alternative event in Tel Aviv,” saying competing narratives over the October 7 attack and the ongoing war framed the national celebrations.

Beyond Milei, ynetnews described the structure of the Independence Day state ceremony and listed multiple torch lighters selected for the event at Mount Herzl.

“Argentina's President Javier Milei's spirited cameo at a state ceremony in Jerusalem, celebrating Israel's 78th anniversary, saw the right-wing leader perform a song and lights a torch to popular acclaim”

i24NEWS

It said the ceremony “traditionally includes a recorded address by the prime minister, a speech by the Knesset speaker and the lighting of torches,” and that the annual torch-lighting marked “the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day.”

ynetnews named Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, as attending the rehearsals, along with Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, who “oversees the event,” and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

Among torch lighters, ynetnews included Talik Gvili, “mother of Sgt. Maj. Ran Gvili, who was killed and whose body was held in Gaza,” and the “government’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch.”

The list also included IDF soldier Ari Spitz, “who was seriously wounded in fighting in northern Gaza,” and Ora Hatan, “a resident of the northern border community of Shtula” who “remained in her home during fighting with Hezbollah and volunteered to cook for IDF troops.”

ynetnews further named film producer Moshe Edri, venture capitalist Gili Raanan, founder of Cyberstarts, and businessman Roni Inesaz, “who was born in Tehran and has assisted Jewish communities in Iran.”

It also described additional torch lighters such as Rabbi Avraham Zerbib, “a judge in the Tel Aviv rabbinical court” who “also serves as a D9 bulldozer operator in Gaza,” and Tamer Atallah, “a member of the Druze community” who “served for years in defense-related roles.”

The same account said the IDF torch would be lit by “Col. M., an Air Force officer involved in operational planning,” and Maj. Nurit R., “a combat intelligence officer who was wounded on Oct. 7, returned to service and was later seriously wounded again.”

Haaretz described Israel’s Independence Day as being shaped by competing narratives over the October 7 attack and the ongoing war, and it placed the official torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem alongside “a large alternative event in Tel Aviv.”

The Haaretz account said the official ceremony took place “Tuesday evening,” and it tied the torch-lighting to the broader political and social context of the anniversary.

la Repubblica

ynetnews, meanwhile, framed the day as a transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day, saying the state ceremony concluded a day of remembrance and opened celebrations for Israel’s 78th Independence Day.

It also described contingency preparations in recent days and said organizers conducted a “full dress rehearsal Sunday,” attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, and other senior officials.

Al Jazeera’s coverage of Milei’s participation emphasized the diplomatic dimension, stating Milei “doubled down on relations with Israel at a time when other leaders are distancing themselves,” which Haaretz’s framing of competing narratives helps contextualize within the national celebration.

i24NEWS and Al Jazeera both highlighted Milei’s “spirited” cameo and torch lighting, while Haaretz emphasized the internal Israeli contest over how to interpret the October 7 attack and the war.

Together, the outlets show that the torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl was not only a ritual but also a focal point for how different audiences understood the meaning of the day.

The presence of an alternative event in Tel Aviv, as Haaretz described it, further underscored that the celebrations were occurring in parallel narratives rather than a single unified storyline.

The coverage diverged in how it framed the same core event: Milei’s song and torch lighting at Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations.

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Oz Arab Media

Al Jazeera emphasized diplomacy and contrast, saying Milei “doubled down on relations with Israel at a time when other leaders are distancing themselves,” and it described him “sang and lit a ceremonial torch” at the celebrations.

Oz Arab Media

la Repubblica focused on the performance details and the visual record, describing Milei’s off-protocol moment during rehearsals, including that he “canta “Libre” con due performer” and then “accende una torcia simbolica,” with a “dedica finale “alla gloria dello Stato di Israele”.”

i24NEWS presented the cameo as a crowd-pleasing spectacle, saying Milei’s “spirited cameo” saw him “perform a song and lights a torch to popular acclaim.”

ynetnews treated Milei’s participation as a planned broadcast element, stating he “had been invited to light a torch live but returned to his country earlier Tuesday,” and that his participation was “recorded during the rehearsal and will be broadcast as part of the ceremony.”

Haaretz, meanwhile, placed Milei’s appearance within a broader Israeli context of competing narratives, describing the torch-lighting at Mount Herzl alongside “a large alternative event in Tel Aviv.”

The different emphases—diplomatic positioning, rehearsal footage and dedication, popular acclaim, broadcast logistics, and national narrative contest—show how the same ceremony could be interpreted through different editorial lenses.

Even the “Libre” performance is treated differently: la Repubblica and ynetnews describe it as part of rehearsal and stage moments, while Al Jazeera and i24NEWS highlight the torch lighting and the overall cameo impact.