Palestinian ambassador asks for Brazil to keep embassy in Tel Aviv

During a meeting with Brazilian acting President Hamilton Mourão, Palestinian Ambassador to Brazil Ibrahim Mohamed Khalil Alzeben asked today (Jan. 28) for Brazil to keep his embassy to Israel in Tel Aviv rather than relocating it to Jerusalem.

“We hope that [the move] does not take place,” said the Palestinian. In his view, the transfer could prove “detrimental to Israelis, to Palestinians, to Brazil, to the whole world, to peace.”

President Jair Bolsonaro has talked about his intention to move the Brazilian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem since his campaign. Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, his son, said the decision is all but certain.

During his visit to Brazil last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Bolsonaro guaranteed the change will take place.

Jerusalem has been the epicenter of clashes and disputes between Palestinians and Israelis, as both claim the place as sacred. In a bid to prevent the situation from aggravating, the countries consider Tel Aviv—not Jerusalem—as Israel’s administrative capital, where international diplomatic representations are based.

Invitation

The Palestinian ambassador invited both Mourão and Bolsonaro to visit Palestine and pray for peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

“We had a talk about bilateral relations between Brazil and Palestine, and we left the meeting glad that our good relations will continue, respecting this Brazilian tradition over the course of 70 years,” Alzeben said.