An Israeli minister has called on Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly recognise the Falkland Islands as Argentine territory ahead of Andy Burnham’s trade ban announcement.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued the extraordinary demand just hours after it emerged that Prime Minister Andy Burnham was planning to fast-track a trade ban targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Writing on social media in Spanish, Mr Ben-Gvir said: “It’s time for the State of Israel to publicly recognise that the Malvinas Islands are Argentine territory under occupation, which the British violently steal from the Argentine people.
“The British are not content with merely occupying the territory; they also carry out oil drilling there and steal the money from the Argentine people.
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“I call upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognise Argentina’s sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and to impose sanctions on Great Britain as long as the occupation continues.”
The intervention from Mr Ben-Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit party and serves in Mr Netanyahu’s Government, came ahead of Mr Burnham’s expected announcement of a fast-tracked trade ban against Israeli settlements in the West Bank tomorrow.
The measures are not thought to include financial restrictions on specific individuals or companies.
Mr Burnham is expected to say that Britain will not stand back and accept the “destruction of the two-state solution”.
The move comes in response to Israeli plans to open tenders for the construction of 1,200 settler homes in E1, a strategically important area of the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Argentine President Javier Milei has forged close ties with the Israeli Government since taking office in 2023.
During a state visit to Israel earlier this year, the Argentine leader hailed Mr Netanyahu as a “friend” and declared his pride in being “the world’s most Zionist president”.
Last week, Mr Milei falsely declared the Falkland Islands to be “Argentinian” and branded the British territory “our future” during a highly anticipated national address on the archipelago.
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He used the televised speech to announce sanctions against oil companies operating “under the British occupation” off the Falkland Islands.
The Sea Lion oil project in the South Atlantic, which is jointly owned by British and Israeli companies, is set to be hit by the measures.
Israeli firm Navitas Petroleum owns a 65 per cent stake in Sea Lion, while British company Rockhopper Exploration owns the remaining 35 per cent.
Israel last week warned that it would retaliate against Britain if the Government imposed sanctions over its plans to expand settlements in the West Bank.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar issued the warning after Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pledged a “comprehensive reset” of Britain’s policy towards Israel.
Mr Saar said: “If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain.”
“If they act, I think they will be making a big mistake,” the Israeli Foreign Minister told a Hebrew-language news site.
Further controversy erupted on August 28 when Yair Netanyahu, the son of the Israeli Prime Minister, publicly backed Argentina’s claim to the islands.
Mr Netanyahu wrote on social media: “The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina!”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s son later claimed his remarks were an attempt to prove a point over Britain’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine earlier this year.
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