Netanyahu Celebrates New Latin American Ties, Cites 'Miraculous' Shift

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked a historic moment in relations with Latin America during a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry celebrating the opening of the 10th embassy in Jerusalem. He praised Colombia's decision to move its embassy to the capital, emphasizing the strategic and value-based importance of the move. Netanyahu recalled his own initiative in 2017 to foster ties with the continent, noting that no sitting Israeli prime minister had visited South America south of Texas before his trip. He observed a "miraculous" transformation occurring in Latin America, contrasting it with a period when, in his words, "new pharaohs" who did not know Israel's history came to power in countries like Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, leading to a deterioration of relations. He stated that these deep connections were disrupted but are now returning to their natural course, characterized by great friendship and deep affection between the peoples, rooted in shared interests, values, and a common Jewish-Christian heritage originating in Jerusalem. Netanyahu highlighted a shared global struggle against a "death cult" and barbarism, emphasizing that the alliance is based on a vision of life and hope, and aims for mutual growth in security, agriculture, water, and artificial intelligence. He concluded by linking Israel's modern strength, represented by a Merkava tank and F-35 model, with faith, symbolized by a copy of the Bible, asserting that this combination of power and faith guides Israel's future and its alliances.