Argentina Designated Hamas as a Terrorist Organization, Aligns Strongly with U.S. and Israel
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sysAdmin
- . July 13, 2024
- . Update: July 13, 2024 7:05 pm
By identifying Hamas as a terrorist organization and ordering the freezing of the financial assets of the Palestinian group, Argentina made a major Friday action. This mainly symbolic action marks a change in Argentina’s foreign policy posture by reflecting President Javier Milei’s attempts to better link the nation with the United States and Israel.
Justification for the relocation
Milei’s office announced the decision, citing the extremist group’s cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, which claimed the lives of almost 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 captives, therefore marking the worst strike in Israel’s 76-year history. The comment also emphasized Hamas’s close ties to Iran, which Argentina blames for two lethal militant strikes on Jewish sites within the nation. Given Iran’s influence in the area, which is sometimes considered as disruptive, there has been great attention paid to the relationship between Hamas and Iran.
Historical Context and Noteworthy Dates
Just few days before the 30th anniversary of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which claimed 85 lives and left hundreds more injured in Argentina’s worst such attack in modern history, this classification comes. More than 20 people died in another attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992. The courts of Argentina have charged members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group from Lebanon with carrying out these acts. Emphasizing Milei’s “unwavering commitment to recognizing terrorists for what they are,” Friday’s speech highlighted the first political will there is to adopt such a posture.
International Viewpoint
Long classified as a terrorist group by the U.S., European Union, and several other nations is Hamas. Home to the biggest Jewish population in Latin America, previous left-leaning Peronist governments in Argentina kept close relations with Israel and backed Palestinian statehood at the same time. The action of the present government marks a major break from this dual strategy by choosing a more clear alliance with Israel’s position against Hamas.
Milei’s Differential Position
Milei, who took office in December, has set himself apart from even Israel’s closest friends by vociferous backing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel suffers great isolation for its military operation in Gaza against mounting worldwide pressure; this has resulted in the deaths of over 38,000 Palestinians, displaced over 80% of the territory’s inhabitants, and set off a humanitarian catastrophe. Milei’s office said on Friday, “Argentina must once more align itself with Western civilization.”
Political and Diplomatic Connotations
Milei’s choice to name Hamas as a terrorist group is expected to have major diplomatic and political ramifications. Argentina is likely to improve its ties with the United States and Israel by aligning more closely with them, therefore fostering possible military and commercial collaboration. This action, meantime, might sour ties with nations who support Palestinian statehood and see Hamas differently.
Home Reactions and Political Scene
Domestically, the ruling has elicited a spectrum of responses. Milei’s supporters applaud the action as a required step toward counter-terrorism and defense of Argentina’s Jewish population. Critics counter that the classification might be more about political posturing than actual security issues. They cite Milei’s larger foreign policy agenda—which calls for closer connections with Western nations—as a possible inspiration for the choice.
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Strategic and symbolic meaning
Milei promised to relocate Argentina’s embassy to the disputed capital and traveled to Jerusalem to assist the Israeli government on his first official visit as president earlier this year. Netanyahu praised this action while Hamas objected. Milei reports a strong spiritual connection with Judaism even though she was reared as a Roman Catholic. Together with geopolitical concerns, this personal link emphasizes the symbolic and strategic relevance of Milei’s foreign policy choices.
Prospective Consequences and Future Outlook
It is yet unknown what long-term effects Argentina’s classification of Hamas as a terrorist group will have. Although the action is probably going to improve Argentina’s position with its Western allies—especially with regard to the U.S. and Israel—it may also draw criticism and resistance from other foreign players. Argentina must carefully balance its connections as it negotiates its new foreign policy orientation to prevent any diplomatic consequences.
Finally, Argentina’s declaration of Hamas as a terrorist group marks a dramatic change in its foreign policy, bringing it more in line with Israel and the United States. The shift has historical background, global policy, and domestic political relevance. The consequences of this choice will show themselves as the world watches, maybe changing Argentina’s position on the world scene and impacting next diplomatic contacts.
