Netanyahu Denies Instructing Support for Argentina's Falklands Claim

The British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed Israeli diplomats to support Argentina's position on the disputed Falkland Islands, which are claimed by both Argentina and Britain. However, the Israeli Embassy in London denied that any such directives were issued.

According to the report, the alleged instructions included supporting direct negotiations on the islands' future and acknowledging Argentina's historical ties to them. The report linked this potential move to Netanyahu's close relationship with Argentine President Javier Milei and to a decision by the British Foreign Secretary to impose economic sanctions on Israeli settlements.

Alex Gandler, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London, refuted the report, stating that no such instructions had been given. The Falkland Islands are located approximately 500 kilometers from the Argentine coast and 13,000 kilometers from Britain. The archipelago is inhabited by thousands of people and is a British Overseas Territory, with an economy based on fishing, agriculture, tourism, and oil resources.

Last September, Argentine President Javier Milei announced his intention to take punitive measures against companies exploiting the islands' natural resources without Buenos Aires' approval and to establish a military base in the country's south. The Argentine government also stated it would file criminal complaints against oil and gas companies operating in the islands, including Israeli firms.