Argentine President Javier Milei criticized the United Nations for what he said was its anti-Israeli bias during a fiery address at the General Debate of the General Assembly’s 79th session in New York on Tuesday.
He called out the world body for systematically voting against the Jewish state, “the only democracy in the Middle East, which protects liberal democracy,” adding that the United Nations has “simultaneously shown a total inability to respond to the scourge of terrorism.”
The libertarian leader also observed that “in this same house, that purports to defend human rights, we have also included bloody dictatorships in the Human Rights Council, including Cuba and Venezuela, without reproach.”
Following the speech, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon thanked him for supporting the Jewish state.
“I was moved to hear the speech of the President of Argentina at the General Assembly. President Milei, you are a true friend of the State of Israel. In this hall, where we were slandered all day, you showed courage and supported Israel! Thank you!” Danon tweeted along with a video of the exchange.
התרגשתי לשמוע את נאומו של נשיא ארגנטינה בעצרת הכללית. הנשיא מיליי, אתה חבר אמיתי של מדינת ישראל. באולם הזה בו השמיצו אותנו כל היום, הבעת אומץ ותמכת בישראל! תודה! 🇮🇱🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/NOxu9hT9Qc
— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) September 24, 2024
Milei is a fervent supporter of Israel who has promised to move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem. In July, Argentina designated Hamas an “international terrorist organization” following the Palestinian group’s Oct. 7 massacre.
The 53-year-old president’s first visit abroad after being elected was to the Jewish state in February, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
