The diplomatic crisis between Brazil and Israel that began a month ago, when President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) compared Israeli actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, has begun to calm down, said Israel's envoy in Brasília this Monday (25).
“We are trying to reduce the flames and we are hopeful,” said Ambassador Daniel Zonshine in an interview with Reuters. Still, he highlighted that “it will take time to return to full relations”.
Relations between the two countries were shaken when Lula, visiting Addis Ababa for an African Union summit, angered Israel by saying that the only historical precedent for the deaths in Gaza was the Nazi genocide of the Jews.
The comparison was completely unacceptable, according to Zonshine.
Brazil's ambassador to Israel, Fred Meyer, was summoned to a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz the following day for a reprimand at the Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem.
Katz declared that Lula was not welcome in Israel until he apologized, which the Brazilian head of state did not do.
Meyer was recalled to Brasília and there is no date for the ambassador's return to Israel.
There were no new harsh statements from either side, Zonshine highlighted, paving the way for improved relations and continued Israeli cooperation with Brazil in many areas, from agriculture and irrigation to aviation and security technology.
The Brazilian government did not say whether it continued with the contribution announced by Lula in February to UNRWA, the UN agency that provides healthcare, food and education to Palestinian refugees.
Israel accuses UNRWA officials of being members of Hamas, including its military wing. A UN investigation is currently investigating the case and has not yet released its findings.
Source: CNN Brasil
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