Javier Milei launches Isaac Accords to strengthen Israel-Latin America relations

Argentine President Javier Milei is spearheading a $1 million diplomatic initiative aimed at boosting Israel’s relations with several Latin American nations, bucking a regional trend of distancing from Jerusalem over the Gaza conflict.

The “Isaac Accords,” announced Tuesday by the Genesis Prize Foundation, will initially focus on strengthening ties between Israel, Uruguay, Panama, and Costa Rica. The funds come from the Genesis Prize that Milei received in Jerusalem in June, awarded for his steadfast support of Israel during a period of mounting global criticism.

Argentina, under Milei’s leadership, has maintained warm relations with Israel, standing apart from much of Latin America, where countries such as Bolivia and Colombia have severed diplomatic ties and others have recalled ambassadors. Organizers American Friends of the Isaac Accords plan to expand the initiative in 2026 to include Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and possibly El Salvador.

The Isaac Accords’ name nods to the Abraham Accords, the 2020 agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states under U.S. President Donald Trump. Like their namesake, the new accords aim to foster trade, cultural exchange, and political cooperation.

Milei received the Genesis Prize on June 12 in recognition of his vocal defense of Israel, particularly as the United Nations and many governments condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. He is considered one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest allies among world leaders.

Although born and raised Roman Catholic, Milei has expressed a deepening personal interest in Judaism and has openly discussed the possibility of conversion a rarity for a sitting head of state.

In a time of diplomatic challenges for Israel, the Isaac Accords signal that meaningful alliances can still grow stronger, even in regions where political winds often shift against the Jewish state.

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