Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei has been selected to take part in a torch-lighting ceremony for Israel's 'Independence Day', alongside a rabbinical judge who has publicly boasted about demolishing buildings in Gaza , according to Israeli officials.
Israel's Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who is overseeing the ceremony, said Milei would be among those lighting torches at the official event, citing his strong support for Israel.
"In these very complex years we are experiencing, [Israel] has found in Buenos Aires a true friend and a dedicated partner," she said, according to Haaretz .
Regev pointed to Milei's decision to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah and Hamas as "terrorist organisations", as well as his efforts to secure the release of Israeli captives, as reasons for the honour.
The Argentinian president has emerged as one of Israel's most outspoken international supporters since taking office, backing its genocidal assault on Gaza in unequivocal terms.
He has framed Israel as "fighting against evil" and doing "the dirty job that others don't", while dismissing criticism of its conduct, positioning himself firmly among leaders offering total political support for its military attacks around the region.
Milei will appear alongside Rabbi Avraham Zarbiv, a rabbinical court judge who has drawn criticism for his inflammatory comments and actions during Israel’s war on Gaza.
In footage previously shared on social media, Zarbiv was seen operating a military bulldozer demolishing a building in Khan Younis, while a voice off-camera said, "Rabbi Zarbiv is flattening a house live from Gaza. Don't blink, don't blink," Haaretz reported.
In a separate interview cited by the Israeli newspaper, Zarbiv said that "on average in a week, I destroyed 50 buildings - not just housing units, buildings", and was described by an Israeli television channel as "the flattener of Jabalia".
He has also made overtly genocidal remarks about Israel's war on Gaza, saying in a May interview that "you simply need to flatten the Strip" to defeat Hamas.
Footage of Zarbiv demolishing buildings in Gaza, alongside his own statements about destroying dozens of structures weekly and calling to "flatten the Strip", has drawn serious concern from legal observers.
Under international humanitarian law, the destruction of civilian property without clear military necessity can constitute a war crime.
The ceremony announcement comes as US President Donald Trump is set to receive the 2026 Israel Prize, the country’s top civilian honour, for what officials described as his "special contribution to the Jewish people".
Education Minister Yoav Kisch informed Trump of the decision in December, and the US president said he would consider attending the ceremony in Jerusalem.
The selections have drawn criticism in Israel.
Gil Dickmann, a relative of an Israeli captive killed in Gaza, condemned the decision to include Israel’s coordinator for hostages, Gal Hirsch, among torchbearers, telling Haaretz the move was "another slap in the face" to families of captives.
Hirsch has faced backlash in recent months, including calls for his resignation from former captives and their relatives after he said protests demanding hostage releases were helping Hamas.
The 'Independence Day' ceremony, held annually in Jerusalem, is one of Israel’s most prominent state events, often used to highlight figures seen as embodying national values and achievements.
The Israeli holiday coincides with Palestinian remembrance of the Nakba , the violent expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their land by Zionist militias at the time that Israel was created in 1948.