Tension rises between Brazil and Israel, after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reproached the Israeli Army's offensive in Gaza and compared it to the Holocaust. The Government of Benjamin Netanyahu declared him persona “non grata”, summoned the Brazilian ambassador in protest and indicated that the South American president will not be able to enter that country until he retracts his statements. Lula joins other Latin American presidents who in recent months have strongly reproached the Jewish-majority State for the escalation of the conflict that has left more than 29,000 Gazans dead since last October.
New shock in the already deteriorated relations between Brazil and Israel. The Jewish-majority State declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva persona “non grata” and he will not be welcome in the country until he retracts his recent statements.
The anger of the Israeli Government was unleashed after the president of the South American giant compared the current war in Gaza with the Holocaust in World War II.
“We will not forget nor forgive. It is a serious anti-Semitic attack. 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 recants,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, to the Brazilian ambassador, to whom he expressed his strong protest.
“This morning I summoned the Brazilian ambassador to Israel to the Holocaust Museum, the place that bears witness more than anything else to what the Nazis and Hitler did to the Jews, including members of my family,” Katz detailed.
It is a war between a very prepared Army and women and children
Lula's controversial statements took place on Sunday, February 18, during the 37th summit of the African Union, in Ethiopia. A meeting in which the participants condemned the military offensive.
BREAKING:
Israel bans Lula from entering Israel without first apologizing for comparing the war in Gaza with the Holocaust.
“We won't forget, nor forgive. “Lula will be Persona Non Grata until he apologizes & retracts his words from her.” – FM @Israel_katz
🇮🇱🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/KaXR1IyQE3
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 19, 2024
Israel launched its attacks by land and air against the enclave since last October, after the Hamas attack that left around 1,200 people dead.
But The response of Netanyahu's troops leaves more than 29,000 fatalities, the vast majority civiliansaccording to figures from the local Ministry of Health.
The death toll may rise sharply as troops threaten a ground incursion into the city of Rafah, where most of the internally displaced are located.
“What is happening in the Gaza Strip is not a war, it is a genocide, it is not a war of soldiers against soldiers, it is a war between a very prepared Army and women and children (…) It already happened when Hitler decided to kill the Jews,” Lula said in the midst of statements that increase tension between the two countries.
For the Israeli authorities, Lula went too far in his statements.
The Israeli foreign minister added that the Brazilian president's comments were “shameful and serious,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured that the president's words “they trivialized the Holocaust and crossed a red line.”
Furthermore, he accused Lula of being a “virulent anti-Semite.”
Brazil and Israel, a deteriorated relationship
Since the two-time president of Brazil returned to power on January 1, 2023, relations between that nation and Israel have deteriorated, precisely due to the Israeli Government's questioned treatment of the Palestinians.
This is a change in the ties that his predecessor had strengthened with that country, the far-right Jair Bolsonaro, who even assured that he would move the country's embassy to the disputed Jerusalem, although he did not fulfill that promise.
Among other actions, and a few days after returning to the Executive, Lula reproached the visit of the ultranationalist Minister of Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, to the Esplanade of the Mosques in Jerusalem. A fact considered a provocation to the Palestinians, since according to the status quo in force since 1967, the site is reserved exclusively for the worship of Muslims, while Jews can only enter as visitors. His presence there sparked strong protests.
Then, Lula also stressed that he is committed to the formation of two States: an Israeli one, which already exists, and the Palestinian one, which the other party has claimed for decades.
Lula joins other Latin American presidents critical of the war in Gaza
This is not the first time that a Latin American head of state has strongly reproached the Jewish-majority nation for the bloody incursion into Gaza.
The most transcendental action has been that of the Government of Bolivia, which became the first in the region to break relations with Israel for their offensive on the besieged strip of land.
The decision was made in “repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive,” confirmed then the vice chancellor, Freddy Mamani.
Last October, The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, also unleashed the fury of Israel and unprecedented diplomatic tension between the two governments.
It all started when Petro described as “barbarism” a bombing – then attributed to Israel, which he later blamed on Hamas – against the Al-Ahli Baptist hospital in Gaza, which left hundreds dead. In response, Israel even announced the suspension of exports of security material to Colombia.
Petro, however, made it clear that he would not retract any of his statements.
In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also refuted Israeli attacks against Palestinians. However, he stressed that he does not intend to break relations with the Netanyahu Government.
The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, also joined the condemnation of the Latin American left for what is happening in the besieged territory. His government summoned the Israeli ambassador and the president denounced the assaults as a “disproportionate” response.
Israel lashes out at anyone who dares to condemn its actions, while failing to stop its stated goals in Gaza. All despite the growing international condemnation.
In recent days, voices of rejection have also come from the governments of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and even its ally the United States, which is beginning to clarify its position on the conflict.
With Reuters, AP and local media
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