Managing Director Fitz Haney was in Jerusalem to brief Israel President Isaac Herzog on the Isaac Accords 

On September 15, 2020, at the Trump White House, the world watched as Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – later joined by Morocco and Sudan – signed the historic Abraham Accords to normalize relations and reshape the Middle East.  Today, we are witnessing a second seismic shift to end Israel’s isolation through diplomatic, economic, cultural, and security ties with democratic partners across Latin America. These are the Isaac Accords. 

Argentina’s role in the Accords.    Argentina President Javier Milei and his Ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Axel Wahnish, witnessed the destructive ideologies of terror, authoritarianism and ideological extremism at play in Latin America.  They envisioned a new path to peace and prosperity in partnership with the world’s most resilient “Start-Up” democratic nation.    

When President Milei was awarded the 2025 Genesis Prize for his unwavering support of Israel, he announced the Isaac Accords for Latin American and Israel.  He then donated his $1 million Genesis Prize award as seed funding.     Genesis Prize Foundation Co-Founder and Chairman Stan Polovets tapped former US Ambassador to Costa Rica, Fitz Haney, to be its Managing Director for Latin America and build its business model. 

To learn more, Karen and I met Fitz Haney at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach along with our fellow congregants, Latin American businessman Jose Fraga and Israel Program Co-Director Jeff Agron.  Former Ambassador Haney is an international entrepreneur fluent in Hebrew, English, Spanish and Portuguese.  His family lives in Ra’anana, Israel.  He spoke enthusiastically about Latin America’s emerging role in Israel’s future, the vision behind the Accords, the early progress already underway, and why this moment – right now – matters so much for Israel and the Jewish world.  

The path forward.  Latin America is grappling with challenges that Israelis understand deeply: security threats, inequality, healthcare access, and the need for technological leapfrogging.   Israel has much to offer.  Israel has developed real-world solutions proven under pressure.  At the same time, Latin America offers Israel something it increasingly needs: partners in diplomacy, trade, education and culture.  And the United States benefits by strengthening its allies and countering the influence of hostile actors like China, Russia, and Iran in a more stable, prosperous and secure neighborhood.  

This is where the Isaac Accords’ business plan comes in.

The Vision and Business Model.    The Isaac Accords are a framework for deep, people-to-people and business-to-business cooperation between Israel and Latin America.  The business model is focused on civil society, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and on-the-ground collaboration that bypasses bureaucratic inertia and delivers results.

Last July, the Genesis Prize Foundation  (GPF) established the American Friends of the Isaac Accords (AFOIA), an NGO whose mission is to operationalize President Milei’s vision by mobilizing pro-Israel advocates in several Latin American countries.  GPF engaged with six proven NGOs to advance practical cooperation on the ground.  As word spreads, AFOIA continues to attract philanthropists committed to strengthening ties between Israel and Latin America countries.  

The First Innovation Branches and Blossoms.   The first partnerships are flowering.  Costa Rica launched a 2025 Free Trade Agreement with Israel focused on medical technology and sustainable energy.  Panama is integrating Israeli cyber and fintech expertise into the country’s banking and logistics sectors.  

The Diplomatic Seeds Sown.   Today,  Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay maintain embassies in Jerusalem, considered the “gold standard” of the Isaac Accords.  Argentina hopefully is not far behind.  Costa Rica and Ecuador have both opened Innovation Offices in Jerusalem with diplomatic standing.  Bolivia President Rodrigo Paz has restored full diplomatic relations with Israel and lifted visa requirements.  Ecuador designated Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corp as terrorist organizations.  Honduras and Chile recently elected new Pro-Israel Presidents. 

The Road Ahead.  The vision for 2030 and beyond is ambitious: a hemisphere where the “Isaac Accords vision” —embassies in Jerusalem, the rejection of terror, and a commitment to partnerships – offer a path to peace and prosperity for the people of Latin America, Israel and the United States.  

This compelling story of the Isaac Accords deserves a much broader audience. 

(The Isaac Accords are opening a historic window of opportunity—but their momentum depends on all of us. If you believe in strengthening ties between Israel and Latin America, now is the time to engage: support the organizations driving this work, share the vision, and help expand the partnerships already taking root.) www.IsaacAccords.org

 

Marc and Karen Rivo are dual citizens of the USA and Israel. Marc is a member of the North American Board of Livnot U’Lehibanot in Zefat, and Past President of the Southeast Region of the American Friends of Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan. Karen is a member of the North American Board of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, a Past President of Temple Beth Sholom Miami Beach, and the Founding Chair of the Israel Leadership Network of the Union for Reform Judaism. They are both on the Steering Committee of Recharging Reform Judaism.