American Friends of Isaac Accords

American Friends of Isaac Accords
AbbreviationAFOIA
Named afterIsaac Accords
FormationAugust 11, 2025 (2025-08-11)
TypeNonprofit
Legal status501(c)(3) organization
HeadquartersNew York City, United States
Official language
English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, etc.
LeaderS. Fitzgerald Haney
Endowment$1 million (2025)
Websitewww.isaacaccords.org

American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA) is a nonprofit organization established in 2025 and headquartered in New York City. The organization aims to promote cooperation between Israel and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, serving as the philanthropic and operational vehicle for the Isaac Accords initiative conceived by Argentine President Javier Milei and Argentina's Ambassador to Israel Shimon Axel Wahnish.[1]

AFOIA received initial funding in the amount of $1 million from the Genesis Prize Foundation, which administers an annual $1 million award presented to individuals with notable professional achievements or contributions to Jewish society.[2]

Founding

In January 2025, Argentine President Javier Milei was named the 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate, becoming the first non-Jewish recipient and the first sitting head of state to receive the prize.[3][4][5]

In keeping with Genesis Prize tradition, Milei declined the prize money and directed it to a new initiative to support his vision for deepened Israel–Latin America relations. It was to be known as the Isaac Accords and modeled on the Abraham Accords.[6][7] The Isaac Accords were formally announced on April 19, 2026 in Jerusalem, during President Milei's third state visit to Israel, at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, foreign ministers of Argentina and Israel, and senior U.S. officials.[8][9]

American Friends of Isaac Accords was incorporated on August 11, 2025. It aims to develop closer ties between governments across Latin America, the United States, and Israel with key stakeholders to counter Israel's growing international isolation and build alliances in the Western Hemisphere. Former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica S. Fitzgerald Haney serves as the operational head of AFOIA.[10]

AFOIA offers grants to established nonprofit organizations in Latin America, Israel, and the United States. AFOIA made initial grants to seven partner organizations, which include ILAN, StandWithUs, Israel Allies Foundation, Rambam Health Care Campus, Passages Israel (formerly The Philos Project), Yalla Israel (Maccabee Task Force) and Fuente Latina. It has also supported projects in Cuba and the United States.[11][12]

Regional expansion

AFOIA initially announced that its programming will focus on three priority countries, Panama, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, as these countries have existing bilateral relationships with Israel, are open to deeper cooperation, and have functional civil society ecosystems.[1][13] Subsequently, AFOIA announced its plans to expand its programming to Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras, and Brazil.[3][14][1][12]

Accomplishments

Ecuador opened an Office of Innovation with diplomatic standing in Jerusalem,[15] while Costa Rica announced plans to do the same.[16] Costa Rica also signed a free trade agreement with Israel[17] and adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.[18] Bolivia restored full diplomatic relations with Israel,[19] and the newly elected leaders of Honduras[20] and Chile announced plans to forge closer ties with Israel.[21] In April 2026, the Brazil–Israel Parliamentary Caucus became the first legislative group in Latin America to sign the Declaration of Shared Principles, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties in economic development, innovation, security, and healthcare.[22] In June 2026, Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced that Colombia would fully restore relations with Israel and move Colombia's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.[23]

Criticism

The Isaac Accords and AFOIA have drawn criticism from governments that have adopted hostile positions toward Israel, such as Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the regional pro-Israel realignment as contrary to international law.[24] However, in June 2026, following elections in Colombia, Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced that Colombia would fully restore relations with Israel and move Colombia's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.[25]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Isaac Accords: Building New Bridges Between Israel & LA". The Jerusalem Post. October 29, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Genesis Prize Foundation". Idealist. August 15, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Gilson, Grace (August 14, 2025). "Argentinian President Javier Milei will use 'Jewish Nobel' to launch 'Isaac Accords'". Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Israel's Genesis Prize awarded to Argentinian President Javier Milei". AP News. January 14, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Argentina's Javier Milei to launch Isaac Accords". The Jerusalem Post. August 15, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ "What To Know About the Isaac Accords". AJC. May 1, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  7. ↑ Berman, Lazar (April 19, 2026). "Netanyahu, Milei launch 'Isaac Accords' to foster cooperation between Israel and Western Hemisphere". Retrieved May 6, 2026 – via www.timesofisrael.com.
  8. ↑ "Israel and Argentina announce lauching of the Isaac Accords". www.gov.il. April 19, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  9. ↑ "PM Netanyahu's remarks on the proclamation of the Isaac Accords". embassies.gov.il. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ "American Friends of Isaac Accords". www.isaacaccords.org. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Israel/Latin America Relationship". The Genesis Prize. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Staff, J. N. S. (August 17, 2025). "Milei's Isaac Accords gets boost from Genesis Prize Foundation". Israel & Jewish News - JNS. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Argentina's Milei Launches $1 Million Isaac Accords Initiative to Strengthen Israel–Latin America Ties". Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ Ganot, Steven (August 18, 2025). "Milei Launches Isaac Accords To Boost Israel-Latin America Cooperation". The Media Line. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Opening of Ecuador's Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship". www.gov.il. December 1, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  16. ↑ "i24NEWS". www.i24news.tv. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Israel and Costa Rica to sign Free Trade Area Agreement". www.gov.il. December 7, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism After Meeting with AJC Delegation". AJC. July 24, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Israel and Bolivia renew diplomatic ties after two years of rupture over Gaza war". December 10, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026 – via www.timesofisrael.com.
  20. ↑ "The new president of Honduras received the credentials of Israeli Ambassador Nadav Goren". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. January 27, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ Albanese, Francesca; Kingdom, United (December 15, 2025). "Who is José Antonio Kast, Chile's new pro-Israel president?". The New Arab. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  22. ↑ Lefkovits, Etgar (December 25, 2024). "Brazilian Parliament moves to deepen its alliance with Israel". Israel & Jewish News - JNS. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  23. ↑ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/22/far-right-de-la-espriella-elected-colombia-president-whats-next
  24. ↑ "Colombian President Issues Wide-Ranging Policy Directive Targeting Israel". August 27, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/22/far-right-de-la-espriella-elected-colombia-president-whats-next
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