Brazil has withdrawn its ambassador in Israel from its Tel Aviv embassy after months of tension over the war in Gaza.
Ambassador Frederico Meyer will be joining Brazil’s permanent mission of Brazil to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, according to a decree published Wednesday in Brazil’s official gazette.
The decree doesn’t mention a replacement for Meyer.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated that they have not received an “official message” from the Brazilian government on the matter. However, Israel mentioned that in response to the report, the Brazilian commissioner has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a meeting on the subject tomorrow (Thursday).
Last February, Brazil recalled Meyer after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva persona non grata in Israel for comparing Israel’s operation in Gaza to the Holocaust.
In an event, Lula said, “what is happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people has no parallel in history. Indeed, it occurred when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.” At the time, Katz stated that Lula would not be welcome in Israel until he apologizes and retracts his comments.
On other occasions, Lula has spoken against Israel's actions in Gaza.
