Co-Founder and Chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation Stan Polovets presents the Genesis Prize to 2025 Laureate Javier Milei at a ceremony on June 12 in Jerusalem.
In this exclusive conversation with The Jerusalem Post, Genesis Prize Foundation (GPF) Co-Founder and Chairman Stan Polovets and former U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica S. Fitzerald “Fitz” Haney – now Managing Director for Latin America and head of the newly formed American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA) – explain how 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate President Javier Milei’s vision is reshaping Israel’s ties with Latin America and why this moment matters for the region, the Jewish world, and the United States.
Argentina held its midterm elections on October 26. What impact will the results have on 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate President Javier Milei? On the Isaac Accords?
Polovets: President Milei’s strong showing reinforces his leadership and gives him the political capital to keep advancing his bold, pro-Israel agenda. It’s a vote of confidence in his vision and values.
Haney: For the Isaac Accords, that stability means continuity. Milei’s success helps sustain momentum for this new initiative linking Israel and Latin America. His message of freedom, democracy, and moral clarity continues to resonate across the region.
What are the Isaac Accords, why the name, and what are its key objectives?
Polovets: The Isaac Accords are the vision of Argentinian President Javier Milei, our 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate, to strengthen economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Israel and Latin America – bringing the spirit of the Abraham Accords to the Western Hemisphere.
The name “Isaac Accords” reflects continuity as it was Isaac who carried forward Abraham’s legacy. In the same way, the Isaac Accords seeks to build upon the legacy of the Abraham Accords and to expand Israel’s relationships with a new set of global partners.
Haney: Our goals are ambitious but clear: create frameworks for trade, tourism, education, and technology that connect Israel and Latin America’s leading democracies in practical, mutually beneficial ways. There is much work to be done.
To learn more about the current diplomatic relationships between Latin American countries and Israel, click here to see the AFOIA website, with Latin American voting records at the UN, whether or not they declare Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations, and location of their embassies, among other relevant data.
Whose idea was it to create AFOIA? How is it funded and managed?
Polovets: The Genesis Prize Foundation launched AFOIA – American Friends of Isaac Accords – in mid-2025 as the philanthropic vehicle for this vision. Each year, our Laureate forgoes the $1 million financial award and directs it to a cause that reflects their values. President Milei’s financial award funded AFOIA’s creation.
Haney: That initial $1 million seed grant is now attracting additional donors who share the mission of connecting Israel and Latin America. I lead AFOIA’s operations, working closely with Stan and our GPF team. We combine diplomatic experience, business expertise, and strong regional relationships to turn this vision into reality.
Which countries are you focusing on and why?
Haney: We’ve begun with Panama and Costa Rica – two small but globally influential democracies with vibrant Jewish communities and long-standing ties to Israel. Both have opportunities for deeper cooperation: neither recognizes Hamas or Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, and their UN voting records on Israel could be improved.
Polovets: The timing is ideal. Both nations want closer ties with Washington, and aligning more closely with Israel helps achieve that.
Haney: We’re also watching Bolivia, where the recent election of Rodrigo Paz as president could open a new chapter in bilateral relations after two decades of socialist rule. In phase two, we’ll likely expand to Paraguay, Guatemala, and Honduras, which are already friendly to Israel but can move even closer.
Has AFOIA already made grants? To whom, for what, and in which countries?
Haney: Yes, we’ve made initial grants totaling about $500,000. Our partners include:
- ILAN Israel Innovation Network, connecting Israeli tech with Latin American markets.
- Rambam Health Care Campus, expanding medical cooperation.
- Israel Allies Foundation, mobilizing pro-Israel legislators across the region.
- StandWithUs and Yalla Israel, engaging students and grassroots leaders.
- The Philos Project, building faith-based bridges with Christian and Evangelical leaders.
Each partner brings strength to a different aspect of the plan – media, education, diplomacy, innovation – and together, they form a powerful ecosystem of cooperation.
How will you measure the success of your work? What will you try to achieve over the coming years?
Polovets: We want to see measurable change – both in attitudes and outcomes. Our goal is to raise tens of millions of dollars to support programs that foster long-term cooperation.
Haney: Success will be tracked in three areas:
- Public Opinion: Are attitudes toward Israel improving? We’ll use surveys and social-media analytics to measure that.
- Economic & Cultural Exchange: Are there more trade deals, student programs, direct flights, and cross-border investments?
- Political Alignment: Are leaders visiting Israel more often? Are UN votes shifting to greater support for Israel?
Polovets: It’s about more than metrics – it’s about mindset. If, five years from now, Latin Americans feel – and demonstrate – a closer affinity to Israel and its people, we’ll know we’ve made a real difference.
Does the US government support the idea of Isaac Accords and if so, how does it stand to benefit?
Haney: Yes. The U.S. sees the Isaac Accords as a way to strengthen alliances across the hemisphere. Closer ties between Israel and Latin America reinforce America’s own interests—security, trade, democracy, and shared values.
Polovets: When pro-Western democracies coordinate, everyone wins. The Heritage Foundation recently published a strong endorsement, and we’ve seen interest from policymakers across the political spectrum.
Haney: The Isaac Accords are a natural continuation of the Abraham Accords – same spirit, new region, broader impact.
Anti-Israel sentiment is prevalent among former major supporters of the Jewish state – the UK, France, Canada, Australia, etc. Why focus on relatively small Latin American countries instead of working to bring those big former friends back?
Polovets: Unfortunately, too many traditional allies are dealing with internal divisions and rising public antisemitism that make open support for Israel politically difficult.
Haney: Meanwhile, Latin America is part of the emerging Global South, which is demanding a stronger voice internationally. It represents a quarter of that bloc’s countries and 10 percent of its population.
Polovets: Engaging Latin America isn’t about replacing Europe – it’s about expanding Israel’s circle of friends. These are democracies that admire Israel’s innovation and resilience.
Haney: And the economic upside is huge. Mexico and Brazil are projected to be among the world’s top ten economies within a generation. Building those partnerships now helps secure Israel’s future on the global stage.
When do you think these accords will be signed?
Polovets: Diplomatic processes move step by step. We’re not racing against time, we’re building trust.
Haney: Each milestone - a new free-trade deal, embassy relocation to Jerusalem, official declaration of Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist groups, or adoption of the IHRA antisemitism definition - brings us closer.
Polovets: Once a critical mass of countries reaches those milestones, formal signing will follow naturally. The momentum is there, and U.S. engagement will help accelerate it.