The city of Buenos Aires is in the process of renaming “Palestine Street” to “Bibas Family Street,” following the tragic deaths of Argentine national Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, who were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in Israel on October 7, 2023, and whose bodies were returned last week.
There have been public calls in Buenos Aires to honor their memory, which included requests to rename “Palestine Street” to “Bibas Family Street.”
President Milei declared two national days of mourning on February 21-22, marked by the illumination of the Obelisco, Planetario, and other landmarks in orange—a tribute to the children’s hair color. The government issued a statement: “Argentina demands the immediate release of all hostages and trusts that the terrorist group will be reduced to ashes.”
The proposal was introduced by Buenos Aires City Council lawmakers Yamil Santoro from the PRO party (Propuesta Republicana – Republican Proposal); and Sabrina Ajmechet (PRO).
En la ciudad donde vivo no debe existir una calle con el nombre del terrorismo, del secuestro y del asesinato de ciudadanos argentinos inocentes.
Pidamos todos que @jorgemacri la cambie y en su lugar honremos a la familia Bibas.
Es un homenaje que merecen como argentinos.… pic.twitter.com/ZkOQsHx63W— Doron (@plexaleOK) February 19, 2025
It should be noted that “Palestine Street” is located in Santa Clara del Mar, a city in Buenos Aires Province, not in the city of Buenos Aires itself. The street was named “State of Palestine Street” in November 2022 to mark the 34th anniversary of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence.
The initiative has sparked debates on collective memory, political symbolism, and Argentina’s shifting foreign policy. President Javier Milei’s administration, possibly the most pro-Israel on the planet, presents it as a moral duty to honor victims of terrorism who are also of Argentine origin (Shiri Silberman Bibas was an Argentine citizen through her father José Luis Silberman), while critics contend that it politicizes urban spaces and risks deepening societal divisions.
The renaming is taking place amid Argentina’s broader diplomatic pivot, including Milei’s push to move the Argentine embassy to Jerusalem and revoke Argentina’s recognition of Palestinian statehood in UN votes.
Argentina’s 120,000-strong “Palestinian” community views the renaming as a collective punishment for the crimes of Hamas. Community leader Najwa Saadi stated, “Our street names shouldn’t be hostage to foreign conflicts.”
Clever.
PA Ambassador to Argentina Husam Zumlot suggested changing the street name would “erode trust in the peace process.”
It’s so cute, he thinks there’s a peace process…
