In a discreet gathering, Brazilian Foreign Minister Vieira openly conveyed Brazil’s dissatisfaction with the stance adopted by Israeli Chancellor Israel Katz. Katz’s decision to summon Brazil’s ambassador to Israel, Frederico Meyer, for a reproachful meeting at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem sparked concerns within the Brazilian government, leading to a high-level meeting between Brazilian and Israeli diplomats in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.
Minister Vieira met with Israeli Ambassador Daniel Zonshine at the Itamaraty Palace in Rio de Janeiro, where he unequivocally labeled Israel’s response to Lula’s remarks as ‘unacceptable.’
The meeting addressed Brazil’s unease with Chancellor Katz’s treatment of Ambassador Meyer. Katz’s move to confront Meyer at the Holocaust Museum and inform the Brazilian government of Lula’s ‘persona non grata’ status in Israel until he retracts statements comparing Israeli actions in Gaza to the Holocaust raised eyebrows.
According to Itamaraty, Katz’s public declaration in Hebrew, followed by its translation, was deemed undiplomatic, leaving Ambassador Meyer unaware of the terms used against President Lula until later.
The Brazilian government, while always striving for equilibrium, found Katz’s language ‘unacceptable,’ hindering bilateral relations. Minister Vieira’s summoning of the Israeli ambassador signified Brazil’s dissatisfaction and a quest for clarifications.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian government instructed Ambassador Meyer to return from Israel, citing the severity of Israel’s statements as the reason for the decision.
Lula’s comparison of Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust during an interview in Ethiopia elicited a sharp response from the Israeli government, leading to the designation of Lula as ‘persona non grata.’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Lula’s remarks as ‘shameful and serious,’ emphasizing the trivialization of the Holocaust.
In response, the Israeli Confederation of Brazil denounced Lula’s statement as a ‘perverse distortion of reality.’
