Argentine parliamentary speaker makes first official visit to Knesset

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana welcomed Argentine Chamber of Deputies President Martín Menem on Monday morning in an official ceremony at the legislature in Jerusalem, underscoring the strengthening relationship between Israel and Argentina under President Javier Milei.

Menem is the first speaker of Argentina’s parliament to visit Israel, reflecting the increasingly close ties between the two countries. Argentina is home to an estimated 180,000 Jews, the largest Jewish community in Latin America and one of the largest in the Diaspora.

The ceremony included the playing of both countries’ national anthems, the raising of the Argentine flag, a review of the honor guard and the laying of a wreath at the memorial on the Knesset Plaza. The two parliamentary leaders then entered the Knesset building and proceeded to Chagall Hall.

In the Knesset guest book, Menem wrote in Spanish:

“With immense gratitude, I visit the Knesset, a symbol of Israeli democracy and of the strength of a people that has known how to defend its freedom, its identity and its values throughout its history.

“It is an honor for me to be the first President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Argentine Nation to make an official visit to Israel, which reflects the deep friendship that unites both nations that share fundamental values.

“With admiration and affection toward the people of Israel.”

Israel’s Knesset Channel broadcast what it called “the historic visit” on X.

Menem, 51, has served as president of Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the National Congress, since December 2023. A lawyer, businessman and member of Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party, he is the nephew of former Argentine President Carlos Menem and comes from one of the country’s most prominent political families.

Before entering politics, he founded Gentech, a company specializing in dietary supplements. He entered politics in 2021 as part of Milei’s movement and has been a vocal supporter of strengthening relations between Argentina and Israel.

The visit builds on a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries in recent years. During a visit to Argentina in November 2025, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met with Menem and members of the Chamber of Deputies, emphasizing parliamentary and economic cooperation.

“I told them that we want to be partners in Argentina’s success story under President Milei’s leadership,” Sa’ar said at the time. “We discussed parliamentary exchanges and deepening our economic cooperation.”

Menem hosted Ohana during the Knesset speaker’s September 2024 visit to Argentina, which included meetings with senior leaders and participation in a memorial ceremony marking the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s ambassador to Israel, Shimon Axel Wahnish, has highlighted the expanding partnership under Milei’s administration. Speaking at a 2024 event marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the countries, Wahnish said: “Under President Javier Milei, Argentina becomes a friend.”

He added that the two countries were working on a joint agreement intended to counter the previous Argentine government’s agreement with Iran and to promote “democracy, freedom and combat terrorism.”