Right-wing and populist governments across South and Central America are forging closer diplomatic and military ties with Israel, marking a sharp departure from the region’s traditional adherence to international law regarding the Palestinian conflict. According to analysis by political scientist Xavier Abu Eid writing in +972 Magazine, this shifting alignment spans several countries including Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, and Chile, where new administrations are prioritizing transactional diplomacy, security cooperation, and stronger ties with Washington over multilateral consensus.
This regional pivot has accelerated through specific bilateral actions and newly minted diplomatic frameworks. According to reports on regional foreign policy shifts, right-wing leaders have broken with decades of Latin American precedent by vowing to relocate embassies to Jerusalem, withdrawing from international legal proceedings against Israel, and embracing ideological concepts that frame foreign policy through shared religious and civilizational narratives.
Diplomatic Shifts and the Colombian Pivot
In Colombia, the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, an announcement that aligned with prior agreements to restore fully fledged diplomatic relations and relocate the Colombian embassy to Jerusalem. According to regional reporting, the incoming administration also agreed to resume coal exports to Israel and withdraw from South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as stepping away from the newly formed Hague Group, an international alliance established in 2025 to coordinate legal and diplomatic actions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
These measures dismantle what was previously one of the most prominent leftist foreign policy stances in South America. During military campaigns in Gaza, multiple left-leaning and social-democratic governments across the region recalled ambassadors, joined the ICJ proceedings, and pressed the International Criminal Court to accelerate investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The recent electoral victories of conservative and populist figures in nations such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, and Colombia have abruptly inverted that diplomatic trajectory.
The Isaac Accords and Ideological Alignment
In April 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei launched the “Isaac Accords,” a cooperative framework designed to link Israel, Argentina, and other Western Hemisphere nations under a shared “Judeo-Christian” tradition. According to regional political analysis, this initiative mirrors the Abraham Accords by offering Israel a pathway toward regional integration and diplomatic normalization that remains entirely detached from any resolution of the Palestinian question or adherence to United Nations Security Council Resolution 478.
By framing alliances around religious and civilizational identities, the Isaac Accords go a step further than previous normalization pacts. Critics and regional diplomats point out that such policies clash with the traditional Latin American doctrine holding that territory cannot be lawfully acquired by force—a principle historically defended through mediation and international law during border disputes like the Beagle Channel crisis.
Security Cooperation Versus Economic Realities
For several populist administrations, the pragmatic pursuit of Israeli cybersecurity, military technology, and intelligence tools has superseded traditional legal frameworks. According to diplomatic analysts, these governments calculate that alignment with Israel guarantees more favorable treatment and leverage within Washington. Past experience, however, demonstrates that such alignment does not shield nations from United States trade pressures; Chile, for instance, faced U.S. tariffs on several export categories despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Diplomatic Realignment: Right-wing and populist leaders in Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, and Chile have reversed traditional Latin American support for Palestinian statehood and multilateral legal frameworks.
- The Isaac Accords: Launched by Benjamin Netanyahu and Javier Milei in April 2026, this framework seeks to institutionalize ties between Israel and right-wing Western Hemisphere governments using shared religious and civilizational rhetoric.
- Geopolitical Risk: Analysts warn that abandoning international law in favor of transactional alignment risks eroding the sovereignty safeguards upon which Latin American nations have historically relied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Isaac Accords?
Announced in April 2026 by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei, the Isaac Accords form a cooperative diplomatic and security framework connecting Israel with right-wing and populist governments in the Western Hemisphere under a shared “Judeo-Christian” tradition.
How have South American policies toward Israel changed?
Following a wave of conservative and populist election victories, several nations have shifted away from the leftist policies of the Gaza conflict era—which involved recalling ambassadors and supporting ICJ proceedings against Israel. New administrations in countries like Colombia and Argentina are moving to relocate embassies to Jerusalem and pursue closer military and security ties.
Do these diplomatic realignments guarantee economic benefits?
Diplomatic analysts note that while these governments seek closer ties with Washington and access to Israeli security technology, political alignment has not protected countries like Chile from U.S. trade tariffs.