The Isaac Accord: How Argentina Is Reorienting Its Foreign Policy Toward Israel and the U.S.

• Argentina has initiated the Isaac Accord, a political, economic and cultural cooperation framework with Israel and other Latin American countries.
• Ever since President Milei came to power in Argentina, he has made it clear that he intends to maintain relations only with what he considers premier countries, particularly the United States of America and Israel.
• Washington is widely expected to support Argentina in maintaining strong relations with Israel and to encourage other Latin American countries to deepen cooperation under the Isaac Accord.

In a significant development, Argentina has initiated the Isaac Accord, a political, economic and cultural cooperation framework with Israel and other Latin American countries. This accord was signed during the visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to Argentina, where he met with President Javier Milei. This is a major development following the Abraham Accords, as Argentina has stated that the Isaac Accord is being signed in parallel with the Abraham Accords, which were concluded during President Trump’s first administration, integrating Israel politically, economically and culturally with its Arab partners.

At a time when a Gaza ceasefire has been achieved and when there is a global attempt to isolate Israel, this new accord represents an important diplomatic boost for Israel in renewing its engagement with different parts of the world. Ever since President Milei came to power in Argentina, he has made it clear that he intends to maintain relations only with what he considers premier countries, particularly the United States of America and Israel. It was part of his political manifesto that he would not maintain relations with communist countries, especially China and Russia, as he considers them adversaries of Western civilisation. According to him, Argentina’s strategic objective should be to strengthen ties with the United States and Israel.

Israel has openly welcomed Milei’s rise to power, calling it a double miracle not only for Argentina but also for the Jewish community residing there. It is important to note that Argentina has a significant Jewish population. President Milei himself is strongly pro-Israel and openly asserts that the “Argentine Republic recognises the right of nation-states to defend themselves, and emphatically supports the State of Israel in the defence of its sovereignty, especially against regimes that promote terror and seek the destruction of Western civilisation.”

During the signing ceremony of the Isaac Accord, the event began with the traditional Jewish blessing of “Shehecheyanu,” which symbolises gratitude, before the formal signing between Israel and the participating Latin American states.

The first project under the Isaac Accord aims at integrating Uruguay, Panama and Costa Rica. Argentina has expressed its intention to position itself as the de facto leader in strengthening Israel’s engagement with Latin America. President Milei has also announced that Argentina will shift its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, similar to the move undertaken earlier by President Trump for the United States. However, he has not yet fully succeeded in implementing this decision.

Many observers say that Milei is currently facing challenges in delivering on his promises. This is why the $40 billion support package from the United States has become crucial for Argentina. This financial package has been extended with the intention of stabilising Argentina’s economy.

For Argentina, deeper cooperation with Israel is not only political but also economic. Israel is known for its advanced technology and investment capability. By strengthening ties with Israel, Argentina seeks to attract Israeli investments to diversify its economy, reduce inflation and support growth. Although the economy has shown progress under President Milei, the improvement has not yet reached the expectations of the people.

Another important point is that the United States, under President Donald Trump, has previously taken a strong interest in Argentina’s political direction. Although Trump states that he does not want to interfere in other countries, he has been vocal about Argentina’s elections and publicly supported Milei because of their ideological alignment. As the United States is also a close partner of Israel, Washington is widely expected to support Argentina in maintaining strong relations with Israel and to encourage other Latin American countries to deepen cooperation under the Isaac Accord.

Aayush Pal

Aayush Pal is a freelance writer on contemporary geopolitical developments. The views expressed in his work are entirely his own.