The Buenos Aires city council announced on Sunday its intention to rename Palestine Street, one of the city's oldest thoroughfares, to Bibas Family Street.
The decision came through a personal initiative by President Javier Milei after learning of the murder of Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, in Hamas captivity. "This is a symbolic step expressing Argentina's clear moral stance," Milei said in an official statement from the presidential office.
The street renaming represents one of the highlights in a series of measures taken by the Argentine government in support of Israel since the October 7 terror attack. Immediately upon learning of the murder of the Bibas family members, President Milei declared two days of national mourning, an unprecedented step demonstrating the nation's deep solidarity with the tragedy.
El presidente Javiel Milei sobre la familia Bibas en su discurso en el CPAC de Washington D.C.:
Hamas realizó un ataque "cobarde" el 7 de octubre. También calificó de "inescrupuloso y sanguinario" lo que hicieron con una madre y sus dos pequeños hijos y fue "canallesco" exhibir… pic.twitter.com/uuhtWQwbiW
— Agencia AJN (@AgenciaAJN) February 22, 2025
In his recent speech at CPAC in Washington, Milei addressed Hamas' actions with exceptional severity. He described the October 7 attack as a "cowardly act" and defined the murder of the mother and her two children as an "immoral and shocking act." The Argentine president also harshly condemned the "barbaric act" of displaying coffins before a crowd with no respect for the deceased.
As part of the expressions of solidarity, numerous public buildings across Argentina were illuminated in orange, including the famous Obelisk in Buenos Aires. This gesture joined similar demonstrations worldwide, including the illumination of the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, and foreign ministry buildings in various countries.
Hier soir, la ville de Buenos Aires a honoré la mémoire de la famille Bibas en projetant les photos de Shiri, Kfir et Ariel sur l'emblématique Obélisque, et en illuminant les structures publiques en orange.
¡ Muchas gracias Argentina !
pic.twitter.com/v19bRmn6CP
— Jérémy Benhaïm (@JeremBenhaim) February 21, 2025
President Milei sent his personal condolences to Yarden Bibas, the family's father, who was recently released from Hamas captivity after 484 days. The official statement from the presidential office read: "It is monstrous that these events occurred in this century and that their deaths stemmed from one motive: being Jewish."
The decision to rename the street joins a series of diplomatic and practical steps taken by Argentina in support of Israel, with Milei becoming one of the world's most prominent leaders in his unequivocal support for the State of Israel and its fight against terrorism.
