World
Argentina Presidential frontrunner discloses intention to convert to Judaism
Javier Milei, a well-known proponent of Israel and a libertarian running for president of Argentina, has said that he wants to become a Jew. However, he has also stated that he will probably have to wait until after his political career is finished to make the conversion.
In Sunday’s run-off elections, Milei, a 53-year-old self-described “anarcho-capitalist” who heads the Liberty Advances party, will face off against the nation of South America’s economy minister, Sergio Massa, of the ruling Homeland coalition. Argentina’s grim fiscal prognosis has dominated the contest, which comes after an election in October that produced no clear winner. The nation’s poverty rate is 40%, and inflation is far into the triple digits.
But while though voters’ top concerns would probably be related to Argentina’s economic problems, Milei has made it plain that he would consider the US and Israel in particular to be important friends when formulating his foreign policy.
In an interview with the Times of Israel that was released early on Sunday, Milei stated, “Its culture and people are what I admire most about Israel.” Regarding Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas, he continued, saying he had “emphatically expressed” support for the nation’s “legitimate right to defence.”
In addition, Milei, who was raised Catholic, mentioned his long-standing fascination with Judaism but stated that he would have to wait to decide whether to become a Jew until his political goals were fulfilled before deciding to convert.
“It’s really challenging because the demands I would have as president would prevent me from upholding all the precepts,” Milei remarked. “You understand that you have to follow all of the Jewish religious precepts if you’re a convert.”
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“The thing is, I might plan to convert after my political career is finished,” he continued.
Due to Milei’s somewhat outspoken and colourful demeanour, she has been compared to both former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro and former US President Donald Trump on a global scale. Milei has also stated that she would like to see Argentina’s embassy in Israel relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, just like Trump has. Trump made the announcement in 2017, changing decades of US foreign policy on the matter, even though some Muslim nations claimed it effectively nullified US mediation of regional peace negotiations.
When the Times of Israel questioned Milei about his plans for an embassy, he responded, “Yes, of course.” “I don’t care if foreign leaders criticise me. That is, in my opinion, the correct thing to do.
Jerusalem is regarded as the national capital by both Israelis and Palestinians. Jerusalem was designated as a “international city” when Israel was divided in 1948, and the majority of states have stated that they will not recognise a new Israeli capital, not even in the event of a diplomatic settlement.
Surveyors have predicted that Milei, the populist, will win the election. On December 10, the elected individual will begin a four-year tenure in office.