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The Telegraph reported on Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israeli diplomats to change Israel's position on the Falkland Islands and support Argentina's call for direct negotiations with Britain over the islands' future, and to acknowledge Argentina's historical connection to the territory, citing sources familiar with the matter.
At a United Nations session last week, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, outlined the approach, calling for direct negotiations between London and Buenos Aires over the islands' future. "Israel recognises the importance that the Argentine public attaches to this issue as well as its ongoing efforts through diplomatic channels and in accordance with the principles of international law," Danon said. The Telegraph reported that the wording of the statement was approved at the highest ranks of Netanyahu's government, and quoted a source describing it as the first time Israel has involved itself in the dispute.
The reported shift does not amount to formal Israeli recognition of Argentina's sovereignty claim over the islands. The Telegraph reported it has raised concern in Britain that Israel could go further if London imposes additional sanctions on settlements.
Israel has denied the report. Alex Gandler, spokesman for Israel's embassy in London, said no such instruction was given, and Israel's Foreign Ministry said: "The report is incorrect. There is no change in our position on the issue."
The report follows a sharp deterioration in relations between Jerusalem and London. Britain last month imposed sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing," according to reports of the row. Israel then downgraded Britain's consulate in Jerusalem and expelled most of its staff on October 8.
The move also comes as Netanyahu has developed close ties with Argentine President Javier Milei, a prominent supporter of Israel during the Gaza war, and as Israel seeks closer relations with right-leaning governments in South and Central America while facing growing criticism from traditional European allies over the Gaza war and settler violence in the West Bank.
The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, are a British overseas territory roughly 300 miles east of Argentina's coast. Britain and Argentina fought a war over the islands in 1982 after Argentine forces invaded; Britain won. In a 2013 referendum, 99.8 percent of those who voted chose to remain a British overseas territory, and Britain maintains that sovereignty cannot be discussed without the islanders' consent.
Argentina has also mounted legal challenges seeking to halt offshore oil and gas exploration north of the Falklands, and last week asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to intervene. Anger in Buenos Aires has also centred on plans by the Israeli-owned Navitas Petroleum company for offshore drilling in the area, expected to begin in 2028.
In Westminster, the report drew an angry reaction. Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe wrote on X: "Why should Britain be expected to defend Israel's national interests if Israel's leadership refuses to respect ours?" adding: "The Falkland Islands are British, and will remain British."
As it stands, the claim rests on a single-source report based on anonymous sources, immediately and categorically denied by Israeli officials. No Israeli government statement beyond Danon's UN remarks has confirmed the reported instruction, and the Telegraph report itself stops short of saying Israel now recognises Argentina's sovereignty over the islands.