Israel denies report that Netanyahu ordered shift in Falkland Islands stance

Israel has denied a report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli diplomats around the world to change the nation's long-standing position on British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

The denial came after Britain’s The Telegraph reported on Saturday that Netanyahu had instructed Israeli diplomats to support direct talks between Buenos Aires and London over the future of the island chain off Argentina’s coast in the South Atlantic. Israel’s embassy spokesperson in the UK, Alex Gandler, rejected the report in a post on 𝕏 over the weekend.

The reported policy shift would align Israel’s position more closely with that of Argentine President Javier Milei, a close friend and ally of Israel since taking office.

The report also comes amid tensions between Israel and the UK following recent statements by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and supporting an almost total boycott of goods and services produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon addressed the Falkland Islands issue at a UN session last week, saying that “Israel recognizes the importance that the Argentine public attaches to this issue, as well as its ongoing efforts through diplomatic channels and in accordance with the principles of international law.”

According to The Telegraph, while the statement did not come directly from Netanyahu, a senior Israeli source told the Telegraph, “The wording of the statement itself got approved at the highest ranks of the Israeli government. This is the first time Israel has got involved in this conflict.”

Another source quoted in the report said Danon’s statement came amid “a changing policy from the British government toward Israel,” citing “all the critical statements that the British prime minister and foreign secretary said in the last few weeks, especially regarding sanctions.”

The competing accounts leave it unclear whether Netanyahu issued such an instruction or whether Israel has formally changed its position.

The Falkland Islands became a British Crown Colony in 1841 and were subsequently settled by British immigrants. At the time, Argentina was embroiled in a civil war that lasted until 1880. In the following decades, immigration from southern Europe increased, and Argentina’s claim to the islands eventually became a point of national pride.

In 1982, Argentina’s ruling military junta invaded the islands, hoping to boost its popularity. The British military launched a 74-day campaign and regained control after claiming the lives of 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three residents of the Falkland Islands.

The defeat contributed to the fall of Argentina’s military junta and the country’s return to democracy. However, Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands, while Britain remains determined to retain them. The dispute remains unresolved.