“A fight against boycotts": Groundbreaking meeting of Argentine President and Yisrael Ganz

Yisrael Ganz, Governor of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, met this week with Argentine President Javier Milei for an extended diplomatic meeting at the official seat of the Argentine government. The meeting took place as part of Ganz’s diplomatic tour of Latin America, aimed at building new international partnerships, expanding support for Judea and Samaria, and recruiting allies in the fight against boycotts and sanctions targeting the Judea and Samaria communities.

During their conversation, Ganz drew a connection between the issue of the Malvinas Islands, the Argentine name for what the British call the Falkland Islands, and the sanctions imposed on the Judea and Samaria communities. The islands are sovereign Argentine territory under British control, whose return Argentina rightfully demands. “Britain must be returned to its natural size. The days of the White Paper and British imperialism are over," Ganz said.

“European countries cannot continue to act as though they stand above other nations, attempting to dictate their futures and control their sovereign territory, whether in Israel, Argentina, or elsewhere. Britain must end its occupation of the Malvinas Islands and also lift the shameful sanctions on Judea and Samaria." The meeting was facilitated by the President’s personal friend, Rabbi Richard Kaufman. The conversation lasted an hour, and those close to Ganz described it as exceptionally warm and productive.

This was the third meeting between the two, following previous encounters at various conferences, and the first held in this format at the Casa Rosada, the official seat of the Argentine government. The two agreed to significantly strengthen their relationship, and Ganz invited Milei for an official visit to Binyamin and Judea and Samaria. Following the meeting, Milei posted photographs with Ganz on his official Instagram account. The significant and unusual meeting has already generated considerable interest in the Argentine press.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ganz delivered a statement outside the President’s official residence: “I have just come out of a historic meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, a true friend of the State of Israel and a dear friend. I thank him for the warm welcome and for his courageous support for Israel and the Jewish people. I came to him with a clear request: to recognize Judea and Samaria as part of the Land of Israel and to stand against the boycotts and sanctions targeting our Judea and Samaria communities."

Ganz added: “From here, I call on the nations of the world: recognize the right of the State of Israel to Judea and Samaria, the cradle of our forefathers and the future of our country. The Jewish people are not foreigners in Binyamin, Judea, or Samaria. This is our homeland, and no sanction can erase that connection. In the face of boycotts, we will open new markets. In the face of sanctions, we will build new partnerships. And we will continue to build and grow."