Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei signed several Memoranda of Understanding between Argentina and Israel in Jerusalem today (Thursday).
"My throat is still sore, but I think my voice is clear. That’s our voice. And so is the voice of our wonderful friend, wonderful 'chaver,' Javier Milei and his fantastic delegation. We welcome you with the ministers of our government, and the hearts of the people of Israel. The minds too, but first the hearts. Because we feel your heart, your connection to our people, to our land, to our state, and our eternal united city, Jerusalem," Netanyahu stated at the signing ceremony.
"We spoke a great deal about the incredible work that President Milei is doing in Argentina. I said yesterday in the Knesset that if you know the principles of free markets, it shouldn’t surprise anyone. But there's a world of difference between knowing the principles, and carrying out the reforms. Because the reforms are difficult because there is always vested interest. They explain; you can't do this; you can't do that. If you do this, I will do that to you. Political leaders always, always, pay a heavy price if they conduct much needed reforms. That’s why they're delayed. In most of the world, they’ve not been done. But they are being done, with gusto, with passion, with conviction and with great courage by you, my friend, in Argentina, and you're setting an example for the entire world.
"We also did some things in this realm, and that’s why Israel has changed. But you're changing Argentina, I believe, at an even greater pace. And I think that this augurs well, not only for your country, but for all of Latin America and for the entire world.
"As you said yesterday in the Knesset, and you saw how you were received, you were received as a 'hermano' as a brother, as a true brother, as a true member of our family, of the Jewish people. You said something important, you said that free markets represent freedom. As I mentioned, the idea of freedom in antiquity emerged here, in this, what was then a dusty corner at the edge of Asia on the Mediterranean. In these dusty hills were the profits of Israel who were here. And the Mosaic Code that was enshrined here.
"We were an ancient people, and we said, no one is automatically a slave. This was a revolutionary idea thousands of years ago. The idea that people can be liberated from slavery. Not only we as a people going out of Egypt in the great Exodus, but in our own realm, in our own people. People could be liberated, they were not committed and not consigned to slavery. This was a change in the history of mankind. And it was produced by the Jewish people, but it spread elsewhere. It's not yet practiced everywhere because we have many dictatorships, including those who want to threaten our flame of freedom here.
"But I have never met a leader who understood it more than you, my friend. I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Israel, and of free people everywhere. So, your next visit, we shall have an event in the embassy of Argentina in Jerusalem.
"I hope that by then we will have returned the four remaining, all remaining hostages, but the four remaining Argentinian hostages; Eitan Horn, the Cunio brothers, the two Cunio brothers and Lior Rudiaf. We'll bring them to Israel.
"This is a reflection of our commitment to human values, to a human sentiment. They hold bodies. They hold innocent people hostages. They torture them, they keep them in tunnels. These are monsters," Netanyahu said.
We are not, and you are not, at all, shameful, or how should I say, careful, about stating the obvious: We are right, they are wrong. We are good, they are bad. The good will triumph over the bad. With God's help, and with your help."