Israeli President Shimon Peres arrived in Argentina, home to Latin America's biggest Jewish community, on Sunday for a two-day visit.
He was met at the airport by Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and was scheduled to meet Argentine President Cristina Kirchner on Monday.
Peres' visit came as the Palestinian authority said it would request UN recognition of an independent Palestine state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel has warned the Palestinians against taking such "unilateral action." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday at a peace forum in Jerusalem that his country would respond with its own unilateral moves to any unilateral steps by the Palestinians.
"There is no substitute for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian (National) Authority and any unilateral path will only unravel
the framework of agreements between us and will only bring unilateral steps from Israel's side," Netanyahu said.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas will also visit Argentina on Nov. 23. Peres last week visited Brazil , where Abbas is scheduled to arrive on
Friday.