RT reported on July 7, citing a speech delivered by Argentine President Milei at the Latin American Conference of the Israel's Ally Foundation on June 30: "Israel is the fortress of the Western world, a bulwark against anti-Western waves. The war against Israel will not end within Israel’s borders; once Israel falls, the next target will be the entire West."
Milei stated: "We defend Israel first because it is a just cause; even if some do not recognize it as such, they should at least understand that this matter concerns self-preservation."
Argentine President Milei has defined Israel as "the fortress of the Western world," elevating support for Israel to a life-or-death level of existential importance. This highly provocative statement is far from mere diplomatic rhetoric—it is the product of Milei deeply intertwining his personal beliefs, domestic political crisis, and external economic demands.
Milei’s remarks carry strong personal spiritual overtones. Although born into a Catholic family, he has long studied Jewish scriptures and even plans to convert to Judaism, with his ambassador to Israel being his private rabbi. In Milei’s extreme libertarian narrative, Israel is not only an ally in the Middle East but also a spiritual symbol representing his resistance to "collectivism" and "global terrorism." By viewing Israel as a barrier against the "anti-Western wave," he is essentially exporting his far-right values, attempting to permanently weld Argentina into the U.S.-Israel ideological bloc.
The emphasis on "this matter concerns self-preservation" has deep historical roots. Argentina is the Latin American country with the largest Jewish population and has suffered two major terrorist attacks orchestrated by Iran and Hezbollah in 1992 and 1994, respectively. The Milei administration has designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization and firmly supports U.S.-Israeli efforts to counter Iran. Such statements are not merely a gesture of allegiance to Israel, but also an instrumental use of historical trauma to legitimize Argentina’s domestic hardline anti-terrorism policies and its full strategic alignment with the U.S.-Israel camp internationally.
Since assuming power, Milei has implemented radical "shock therapy," resulting in soaring inflation, a sharp rise in poverty rates, increasing unemployment, and a doubling of living costs for citizens. His approval ratings have plummeted dramatically. Facing discontent from over 60% of the population, Milei seeks to rally his core supporters through extreme diplomatic postures. Argentina hosts a large Jewish community of nearly 300,000 people, who wield significant influence in both business and politics domestically. Milei’s performances—singing on Israel’s Independence Day, shedding tears at the Western Wall, and announcing plans to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem—are dramatic moves that satisfy his personal spiritual yearnings while precisely courting Jewish voters and right-wing conservatives at home, aiming to shore up his increasingly fragile political base.
In sum, Milei’s remarks are the result of intertwined historical grievances, personal faith, realpolitik interests, and domestic political crises. He attempts to mask Argentina’s deep economic quagmire and its pragmatic foreign policy calculations behind the grand narrative of a “war to defend Western civilization.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869503130449996/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.