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.

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 to exterminate Jews.

After this statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Mr. Meyer to meet him at the Holocaust Museum and the memorial site for Jewish victims in Jerusalem instead of receiving him at the Prime Minister's Office as per diplomatic practice and issued a statement that President Lula da Silva was "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" action.

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 principles.

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

The decision to immediately withdraw Ambassador Meyer is a strong and serious move in the relationship 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: https://baoquocte.vn/brazil-rut-dai-su-o-israel-ve-nuoc-cang-thang-ngoai-giao-tang-cao-261506.html