Brazil’s president, who was declared persona non grata in Israel, refused to accept the appointment of a new ambassador; Israel decided not to send another, downgrading ties; Foreign Ministry: ‘Escalated the moment Brazil’s president compared Israel’s actions to those of the Nazis’
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided not to approve Israel’s choice for a new ambassador, deepening the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two countries over the war in Gaza.
According to the Brazilian newspaper Gazeta do Povo, Daniel Zonshine, Israel’s outgoing ambassador to Brazil, retired last week. He was to be replaced by Gali Dagan, who previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Colombia, but Dagan has not received the required approval from Brazil.
The dispute comes after Lula announced in May 2023 that he was recalling his ambassador from Tel Aviv. The envoy had not been in Israel for about three months, having returned to Brazil for “consultations” amid strained relations.
(Photo: Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via Reuters)
Earlier, in February, Lula accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, even comparing its actions to the Nazi Holocaust. “What is happening in the Gaza Strip is not a war, it is genocide,” Lula told reporters during a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “It’s not a war of soldiers against soldiers. It’s a war between a highly prepared army and women and children,” added the veteran leftist. “What’s happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn’t happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the reports and issued a sharp statement: “The critical and hostile line demonstrated by Brazil toward Israel since October 7 escalated the moment its president compared Israel’s actions to those of the Nazis. In response, Israel declared Brazilian President Lula persona non grata. After Brazil refrained — contrary to accepted diplomatic practice — from responding to the request for agrément for Ambassador Dagan, Israel withdrew the request, and now relations between the countries are conducted at a lower diplomatic level. The Foreign Ministry continues to maintain deep ties with Israel’s many friends in Brazil.”
As reported by Ynetnews