Argentine President Javier Milei receives Israel’s Genesis Prize

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Javier Milei of Argentina received the $1 million Genesis prize in Jerusalem on Thursday in recognition of his support for Israel as it faces a mounting international isolation over the war in Gaza.

Speaking in Spanish at the ceremony Thursday, Milei said: “In this difficult moment, I accompany you with a fraternal hug and a sincere ‘Am Yisrael Chai’,” using the Hebrew phrase for “the people of Israel live.” The crowd applauded and rose in a standing ovation.

A statement from the Genesis Prize said Milei will donate the award to launch an initiative aimed at improving diplomatic relations between Israel and Latin American countries and fighting antisemitism in the region.

It said the goal is to replicate the Abraham accords — a U.S.-brokered set of agreements aimed at winning broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world — with Latin American states.

Breaking decades of policy precedent, Milei has gone further in his support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government than perhaps any other world leader, as Israel faces growing isolation over its bombardment and invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

Milei also has pledged to move Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem, joining a handful of countries, including the U.S., to recognize the contested city as Israel’s capital.

Past laureates of the award include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Michael Douglas, billionaire Robert Kraft, entertainer Barbra Streisand and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.