Netanyahu in Argentina
Photo: EPA
Netanyahu arrives in Mexico for last stop of Latin America trip
The prime minister visits Mexico City after diplomatic crisis early this year over his support of Trump's border wall plan; expected to sign several agreements there, including MOU on space, an aviation agreement, a communications agreement and a MASHAV cooperation agreement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Mexico on Thursday, some eight months after a tweet
he posted in support of US President Donald Trump's border wall plan raised ire in Mexico City,
causing a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
"President Trump is right," Netanyahu wrote in late January, shortly after Trump entered office. "I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea."
Israel's Ambassador Yonatan Peled was summoned by the Mexican Foreign Ministry for a reprimand, and the Mexican government issued a statement saying, "Mexico is a friend of Israel, and the Prime Minister should treat us like one."
Netanyahu leaving on trip to Latin America (Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO)
The crisis was resolved only after President Reuven Rivlin called his Mexican counterpart Enrique Peña Nieto to apologize.
While in Mexico City, Netanyahu will sign several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on space, an aviation agreement, a communications agreement and a MASHAV cooperation agreement.
Netanyahu arrived in Mexico after a visit to Colombia, where he signed an MOU between Jerusalem and Bogotá in the field of science, as well as a tourism agreement.
While in Bogotá, the Israel prime minister was welcomed at the presidential palace by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The two leaders first met in private, and later held an extended meeting with Colombia's foreign, defense and agriculture ministers.
Netanyahu, right, with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (Photo: AFP)
The two sides discussed deepening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, water, technology, innovation and cyber defense, among others.
Israel is an observer in the Pacific Alliance, an economic organization made up of Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile, which is the eighth largest economy in the world. Israel plans to deepen its economic cooperation with the countries in the alliance.
Netanyahu also visited Argentina as part of his Latin American trip, where he met with Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes, who traveled to Buenos Aires especially for the meeting.
Netanyahu meets with Argentine President Mauricio Macri (Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO)
A series of agreements were signed between Israel and Argentina, including an internal security agreement aimed at deepening and strengthening cooperation between both countries' police and law enforcement authorities in the prevention and detection of criminal offenses and in identifying their perpetrators, primarily through the exchange of strategic information.
In addition, the two countries signed a social insurance agreement, a customs agreement and a commitment by Argentina to provide Israel with archive documenting ties between Buenos Aires and the Nazi regime during World War II, and especially in the years following, when the regime of Juan Domingo Perón assisted Nazi officials who fled to Buenos Aires to seek refuge.
Following his visit to Mexico, Netanyahu will travel to New York City, where he will meet with US President Donald Trump and on Tuesday speak at the UN General Assembly meeting.
