Brazil withdraws ambassador to Israel, diplomatic tensions rise

Diplomatic tensions between Brazil and Israel escalated when on February 20, President of the South American country Lula da Silva recalled the country's Ambassador to Israel Federico Meyer.

Brazil rút Đại sứ ở Israel về nước, căng thẳng song phương bị đẩy tới cao trào

Brazilian Ambassador to Israel Frederico Meyer (left) and Foreign Minister Israel Katz at the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, February 19. (Source: Times of Israel)

Tensions between Israel and Brazil erupted after President Lula da Silva, during a visit to Ethiopia, accused Israel of committing “genocide” against the people of the Gaza Strip and compared the action to the Nazi regime’s previous campaign of exterminating Jews.

After this statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Mr. Meyer to meet him at the Holocaust museum and memorial site for Jewish victims in Jerusalem instead of receiving him at the Prime Minister's Office as per diplomatic practice and declared President Lula da Silva as "persona non grata".

Speaking to the press, Mr. Celso Amorim, Special Advisor to the President of Brazil, emphasized that Israel's statement was an "absurd" act.

For its part, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure with Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoning Ambassador Meyer to the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem instead of following normal diplomatic protocol.

The ministry also summoned Israeli Ambassador to Brazil Daniel Zonshine to clarify Israel's move.

The decision to immediately withdraw Ambassador Meyer is a tough and serious move in relations between the two countries, second only to an official announcement of severing diplomatic relations.

Up to this point, Mr. Lula da Silva has not made any comments on the incident.

Source