Netanyahu meets Argentina's Milei at the UN, praises his economic overhaul

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Argentinian President Javier Milei on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a statement released by the Israeli government. The release, dated 25.09.2026, said Netanyahu thanked Milei for what it called his steadfast and unconditional support for Israel.

Netanyahu also congratulated the Argentinian leader on being honoured with a "Defender of Israel" award by the Darchei Torah Yeshiva in New York, the statement said. According to the government, the two men talked about ongoing cooperation between Israel and Argentina, and about regional developments in Latin America that Israel views favourably.

What the leaders discussed

The official account describes a "positive strategic shift" for Israel under way in Latin America. In the government's framing, that shift opens the door to widening an initiative it calls the "Isaac Accords", which the release says is led by Milei. The stated aim of the framework is to strengthen security and economic ties between Israel and Latin American countries.

The release does not list which countries are part of the Isaac Accords, which might join, or what specific agreements the framework contains. It presents the initiative as an existing effort that Israel hopes to see grow, rather than announcing any new signing at this meeting.

Netanyahu's remarks

The Prime Minister's Office published extended remarks in which Netanyahu praised Milei in personal terms, calling him "one of the great leaders of our time." Much of the praise concerned Milei's handling of Argentina's economy. Netanyahu described the Argentinian president's economic record as "masterful" and said it had been achieved in the face of considerable political opposition.

Netanyahu said that people might need time to appreciate the changes, and that those with an understanding of economics would recognise them as unprecedented. He referred to his own record, saying he had carried out an economic transformation himself and was offering the compliment on that basis.

He then turned to Milei's public positions, saying the Argentinian leader speaks up for the truth regardless of criticism. Netanyahu linked this to Milei's support for Israel, saying the two countries share a heritage of justice and truth-telling.

Milei replied briefly, according to the release, thanking Netanyahu, calling him a friend and returning the compliment by describing him as among the greatest leaders in world history.

Background for readers

The UN General Assembly is the body in which all member states of the United Nations are represented. Its high-level sessions in New York draw heads of state and government, and many bilateral meetings, like this one, take place on the sidelines rather than in the formal proceedings.

A yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution dedicated primarily to the study of the Torah and rabbinic texts. The release names the Darchei Torah Yeshiva in New York as the source of the award Milei received, but gives no further detail about the award or the ceremony.

The statement was issued by the Israeli government and was accompanied by a video posted on the Prime Minister's official YouTube channel. It is an official account of the meeting, written from Israel's perspective, and its language, including the description of Milei's support and of the regional shift, reflects that government's own characterisation.

What the report does not say

This article rests on a single source: the Israeli government's own press release. No account from the Argentinian government or from independent media was available in the material, so the Argentinian side's description of the talks, if any, is not reflected here.

The release does not specify how long the meeting lasted, who else attended, or whether any agreements, memoranda or joint statements resulted from it. It does not name the Latin American countries involved in the Isaac Accords or say when or how the framework might be expanded. It also gives no detail on the security and economic cooperation it mentions, and does not explain what the "strategic shift" in Latin America consists of.