Brazil recalls ambassador from Israel
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday asked his ambassador to Tel Aviv to return to Brasilia for consultations. This step came after Israel announced Lula “Unwanted person” Because of his statements regarding Gaza.
Brazilian media quoted the president over the weekend likening Israel’s actions in Gaza to a time in the past “When Hitler decided to kill the Jews” Referring to the Holocaust during World War II.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded by summoning Brazilian Ambassador Frederico Mayer to protest — not in front of the ministry, but in front of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. There, Katz connected with Lola’s words ‘Serious anti-Semitic attack’ He showed Mayer the names of his relatives who were killed by the Nazis.
“We will not forget and we will not forgive.” Katz told Mayer, according to his X (formerly Twitter) post. “In my name and in the name of the citizens of Israel – tell President Lula that he is persona non grata in Israel until he takes it back.”
But Lula stuck to his words, ordering Mayer to return to Brazil. The Brazilian embassy in Tel Aviv will be run by the Chargé d’Affaires, which represents a downgrade in diplomatic relations.
Lula’s wife, Rosangela “Ganja” da Silva, defended her husband on Monday, saying: “It referred to the genocidal government and not to the Jewish people.”
“I am proud of my husband, who since the beginning of this conflict in the Gaza Strip has defended peace, especially the right to life of women and children, who constitute the majority of the victims.” trick Written on X. “I am sure that if President Lula had witnessed World War II, he would have defended the right of Jews to live in the same way.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Lula’s statements as… “Crossing the red line.” Netanyahu declared war on Hamas after the deadly raids launched by the Palestinian movement on October 7 last year, in which an estimated 1,200 Israelis were killed. Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children. Much of the Strip has been reduced to rubble, while several members of Netanyahu’s government have publicly called for the expulsion of its two million residents to Egypt.
The International Court of Justice asked Israel Last month Refraining from acts that could constitute genocide, following a complaint filed by South Africa under the Genocide Convention.
You can share this story on social media:
