In a diplomatic shift, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno has decided to "value" and "thank" the Israeli ambassador for his statements. Gideon Sa'ar , regarding the existence of a sovereignty dispute in the Malvina Islands, whose dialogue, Great Britain decided not to resume.

Hours earlier, the ambassador had distanced Israel from the decisions made by his country's largest oil company, stating that it was the " British subsidiary, Navitas Petroleum Development and Production ," but that nevertheless, "Israel hopes that the dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom will be resolved through dialogue between the parties and by peaceful means."

Argentina responded through Foreign Minister Quirno: “I appreciate the statements made by the Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa'ar, in which he recognizes the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.” He reaffirmed that “The Question of the Malvinas Islands must be resolved through negotiation between the parties, in accordance with United Nations resolutions and international law” and that “companies of any nationality must refrain from unilaterally advancing the exploration or exploitation of natural resources in the disputed area.”

I value the statements of the Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa'ar ( @gidonsaar ), in which he recognizes the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

The Malvina Islands issue must be resolved through negotiation between the parties… https://t.co/2NrZDQ356d

But what the Government presents as a diplomatic achievement is nothing more than a smokescreen that hides an alarming reality: the imminent start of the extraction of Argentine oil by an Israeli-owned company in partnership with British capital .

Recognizing the obvious is not a triumph

The Israeli Foreign Minister's recognition of a sovereignty dispute is not a diplomatic favor; it is the acknowledgment of an international legal reality established by the United Nations decades ago . However, for the Argentine Foreign Ministry, this seems to be a sufficient bargaining chip to tolerate the dispossession.

It is incomprehensible that Chancellor Quirno celebrates words of goodwill while the company Navitas Petroleum —born, founded and headquartered in Israel— moves forward with the Sea Lion project .

If the link between Javier Milei's administration and Israel is as close and "special" as both sides claim, why doesn't that link translate into a direct order from the Israeli state for its companies to stop violating the sovereignty of its ally?

The "Style Guide" of the dominant media silence

Argentina's mainstream media focused their headlines on "Israeli support" or the "strategic rapprochement." By echoing Quirno 's expression of gratitude, they validate the idea that a post on social media constitutes a geopolitical advance, when in reality it's a distraction while extraction contracts are finalized.

In those newspaper reports, the name of the Israeli company appears as a technical, almost secondary detail. The conflict is presented as something "between governments," obscuring the fact that the entity that will drill into the Argentine seabed is a private company based in that country, to whom Foreign Minister Quirno expresses his gratitude. Furthermore, they avoid any analysis that might strain that relationship. Criticizing Navitas would, for them, make their ally uncomfortable. Therefore, they prefer to report on Quirno 's flattery rather than denounce the dispossession.

Between "private enterprise" and state complicity

Ambassador Sa'ar's argument that the State of Israel has no jurisdiction over a private company is a technical fallacy . States have a responsibility to regulate the actions of their companies when these violate international law and UN resolutions (such as 31/49), which prohibit unilateral innovation in disputed areas .

By thanking him for a statement devoid of practical content, Argentina relinquishes its ability to exert pressure . Quirno 's flattery will not reverse contracts, halt the flow of capital on the London Stock Exchange, or stop the machinery being prepared to drill into our continental shelf.

Sovereignty is not defended by offering thanks for the obvious. It is defended with sanctions, with firmness, and by demanding that international partners act in accordance with what they say on the record .

If Israel truly values its relationship with Argentina, it must intervene regarding Navitas . And if Foreign Minister Quirno truly wants to defend the national interest, he must stop thanking them for symbolic gestures and start demanding an immediate end to illegal activities. Otherwise, this "gratitude" will go down in history as diplomatic endorsement of one of the greatest plunderings of natural resources in the 21st century.