Brussels 11.01.2026 Argentina has paused its plans to relocate its Embassy to Jerusalem, a report said Saturday, January 10, due to recent “tension” between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei.

Argentina freezes Jerusalem embassy move amid dispute over Malvinas drilling
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Plans by Argentina to move its embassy to Jerusalem have been frozen amid rising tensions with Israel over plans for Israel's Navitas Petroleum company to carry out offshore drilling in the Malvinas,… pic.twitter.com/wJsmTEmP6h

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 11, 2026

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These tensions arose due to the Israeli-owned Navitas Petroleum company’s plans to carry out offshore drilling in the Falkland Islands, expected to begin in 2028, Channel 12 news revealed.

The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory, historically, and confirmed by two referendums of islanders, who didn’t wish to change their status, although Argentina never gave up the claims for Islas Malvines.

In December, Argentina criticized Navitas and UK firm Rockhopper for announcing what it said was an “illegitimate” oil drilling project worth roughly $2.1 billion off the coast of the Falkland Islands, as it was not approved by Argentina and therefore was a “unilateral decision” made by the UK government.

A 1976 United Nations resolution established that neither Argentina nor the UK can carry out unilateral decisions over the territory as long as negotiations over the sovereignty of the Falklands continue.

Rockhopper compnay has been banned from operating in Argentina since 2013 after the Argentine government criminalized its activities, and Navitas was also banned in 2022 for carrying out oil drilling operations without authorization. Rockhopper Exploration is a UK-based oil and gas exploration and production company with key interests in the Falkland Islands.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar passed the message to Argentina that the Israeli government was not involved, and didn’t control Navitas’s operations because it is a public company.

🚨 Breaking: @JMilei announced that Argentina's embassy in Israel will move to Jerusalem in early 2026
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— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 25, 2025

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This ministerial effort had zeo effect, as Channel 12 cited anonymous sources close to Milei as saying that not only has the disagreement effectively halted the relocation of the Embassy, but risks harming relations between Buenos Aires and Jerusalem, which had positive development, following Milei’s election in 2023.