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Baseless claims blaming Israelis for devastating wildfires in southern Argentina have ignited a wave of antisemitic rhetoric across political and media circles, prompting sharp condemnation from Jewish leaders and government officials..
As wildfires tore through Argentina’s Patagonia region over the weekend, consuming roughly 35 square kilometers in the province of Chubut, a conspiracy theory gained traction online on Sunday. The claim alleged that two Israelis deliberately started the fires using an Israeli military grenade.
Among those amplifying the accusation was Cesar Milani, the former deputy chief of the Argentine Army. Without naming Israel directly, Milani implied that a “foreign state,” supposedly identified by locals, was responsible — while pairing the claim with an image of President Javier Milei waving an Israeli flag.
Arde nuestra Patagonia Argentina:
Un Estado intencionalmente ausente.
Nuevas leyes que habilitan la libre compra de tierras por parte de extranjeros y actividades económicas sobre zonas incendiadas.
Un Estado extranjero, señalado por los propios lugareños como responsable.
Un… pic.twitter.com/iNBaNIo82a— César Milani (@GeneralMilani) January 11, 2026
Waldo Wolff, a Jewish communal leader and legislator in Buenos Aires, condemned Milani’s post as cowardly. He argued that the insinuation relied...
Kenneth Scott Miller, 48, is charged with a felony count of making a false report to law enforcement. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $500 bond. According to an Escambia County ...