Argentine President Milei Concludes Israel Visit With Dance At Kotel: ‘Am Yisrael Chai’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Argentina’s President Javier Milei concluded his supportive trip to Israel with a second visit to the Western Wall, where he danced with Chabad  rabbi Simon Jacobson, whose book Toward a Meaningful Life (William Morrow, 2002) was one of the catalysts for Milei’s interest in the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Milei has a close relationship with Rabbi Jacobson and asked him to accompany him during the entire trip.

Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, dances to the song “Am Israel Chai” at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during a spontaneous visit at night. pic.twitter.com/yHEaYr7UF0

— Olia (@oliaklein) February 9, 2024

During his previous visit to the Western Wall a few days earlier, Milei was overcome with emotion, bursting into tears as he prayed at the holy site.

God bless Javier Milei for doing the right thing and moving the Embassy to Jerusalem. 🇦🇷🇮🇱

When he signed the guest book at the Western Wall, he wrote: “I ask for wisdom, courage, and strength to be a worthy vessel for the Creator’s work. Just words of thanks” pic.twitter.com/IuFDAu7y1c

— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) February 7, 2024

Before he left Israel, Milei said that “Israel is close to my heart and that is why I decided to placed a Mezuzah in the Pink House in Argentina (the official workplace of the Argentinian president) because I wish to feel the sanctity of the Jewish nation.”

“I placed it so strongly that whoever removes it will have to uproot the door,” Milei added as he spoke with Rabbi Chaim Oicherman, the Chabad emissary in Buenos Aires who accompanied Milei from Argentina on his trip.

Rabbi Oicherman presented Milei with a special gift before his departure from Israel: A portrait of the Lubavitcher Rebbe together with an old Israeli 50 shekel note which the Rebbe used to give as a blessing for people. Milei touched the picture and said “I know him very will, I feel him all the time and placed his picture in my office.” Milei has visited the Rebbe’s tomb on many occasion, including before and after he was elected president last December.

Last week, Milei visited Nir Oz together with Israeli president Yitzchak Herzog. One quarter of Kibbutz Nir Oz’s members were either murdered or taken hostage in the brutal attack by Hamas terrorists on 7 October.

Herzog told Milei that “We say, in Hebrew- ‘Chaver’ like your name Javier means friend. You’re a true, dear friend of Israel and we appreciate and thank you very much.”

Argentine President Javier Milei and Israel’s President Isaac Herzog bore witness to the destruction of Kibbutz Nir Oz near Gaza today.

Milei visited the homes of several Israeli-Argentinian citizens who are still being held hostage in Gaza, including the Bibas family home… pic.twitter.com/CxOQBwvCki

— Jewish Breaking News (@JBreakingNews) February 8, 2024

Milei, horrified by what he saw in the kibbutz,  thanked Herzog for hosting him and said that “This is a visit that has truly been very moving. It’s something that has touched me deep in my soul. As we watched the images from around the world we were filled with horror, but now seeing them up close and personal in real life, is all the more disturbing and such a powerful experience. When we also listen to the accounts of the families, families that have been literally cut in half, I think of among others, Ofelia [ Ofelia Roitman, who was taken hostage and released from Gaza, and was returning to her home for the first time after the attack] who was kidnapped and I think of all the things she went through, it was so truly painful having gone through the experience herself, and being in touch with the victims and being in the place where all this happens is so disturbing.”

“Let me once again say what I’ve been saying all along, we strongly condemned the terrorist acts of the terrorist group Hamas, and we continue to reaffirm our solidarity towards the people and the State of Israel and our support for Israel’s right to legitimate self-defense. Again, we see that it was the indifference of the free world that made the Nazi Holocaust possible. And as President Herzog said, the free world can’t remain indifferent in this case, as we see clear examples of terrorism and antisemitism and what I would describe as 21st Century Nazism.

“When we hear about the methods that were used this time, it reminds us of the atrocities of the Holocaust. And we again strongly and unambiguously, condemn these abhorrent actions and reaffirm our solidarity and support for Israel, again for the legitimate right to self-defense. We will continue to work in order to demand going forward the release of all of the hostages, regardless of the nationality. Of course, there are Argentine nationals among the hostages as well, but this is a crime against humanity, and this must be redressed.

“I would like to conclude by thanking you for the welcome and you can rest assured that in Argentina, you have a President who’s a true friend of you