Netanyahu Has Told Israeli Diplomats To Support Argentine Push For Falklands Talks: Report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli diplomats to support Buenos Aires' calls for diplomatic talks over the future of the Falklands Islands, a self-governing British Overseas Territory which Argentina calls the Malvinas Islands and lays claim to.

Argentina and the United Kingdom fought a brief war, which the UK won, over the islands in 1982.

Netanyahu instructed Tel Aviv's diplomatic corps to change the country's traditional stance of non-involvement on the dispute and instead actively support the Argentine government of pro-Israeli President Javier Milei in this way, but has not gone so far as to formally support Argentina's claim over the territory in the South Atlantic, the British conservative media outlet The Telegraph reported on Saturday.

Some Israeli representatives were quick to deny the revelation.

"I categorically deny this allegation. No such directive exists," Alex Gandler, the spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Britain, wrote on X on Saturday.

There have nevertheless been other indications that Israel was warming to Argentina's position. Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, raised the issue at the UN recently.

"Israel recognizes the importance that the Argentine public attaches to this issue ... progress on this matter must be achieved while taking into consideration the full spectrum of relevant historical, legal and human aspects," he said.

Other senior Israeli figures have made much more explicitly supportive statements about claimed Argentine sovereignty over the islands; in early September Israeli Minister for National Security Ben-Gvir urged "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentina's sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and to impose sanctions on Great Britain as long as the occupation continues."

Netanyahu's son, Yair Netanyahu, has also made similar claims that the "The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina."

Israel's shifting stance on the issue is occurring against a backdrop of a deteriorating relationship with London, and an improving one with Buenos Aires. In September, London announced a ban on all imports from Israeli settlements, considered illegal by the International Court of Justice, into the UK.

In retaliation, Israel announced it would shut down the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, which handles UK relations with Palestinians. Although a compromise reached and the UK retains a diplomatic presence in the former consulate building, the facility was downgraded in status to a "mission" and 20 British diplomats, including the UK's consul general, were forced to leave.

By contrast, Argentina under President Javier Milei has become a staunch ally of Israel's. Milei called himself the "most Zionist president in the world," lit a ceremonial torch on Israel's independence day and told the UN General Assembly in September that Argentina had "unequivocally" aligned itself "with the West, with the United States, and with Israel."

In practical terms, in April the two countries signed the Isaac Accords, a diplomatic agreement designed to strengthen economic, defense and technological cooperation between Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv.

Backlash against the supposed policy shift by Israel in the UK was swift, even amongst traditional ideological allies of Israel's on the island.

Why should Britain be expected to defend Israel's national interests if Israel's leadership refuses to respect ours? Britain is not obliged to give any foreign government unconditional political or military support," wrote Rupert Lowe, the leader of the far-right Restore Britain party and an erstwhile staunch supporter of Israel, on Saturday.