Israel condemns Brazil’s stance on Gaza conflict

The Israeli government criticized Brazil for recalling the latter’s ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations and releasing two statements deeming unacceptable the increasingly violent conflicts between Israel and Palestine. In the text put out on Wednesday (Jul 23), Brazil “strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force” by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, stated: “Israel expresses its disappointment in the decision of Brazil’s government to recall its ambassador for consultations. This decision does not reflect the level of relations between the countries and ignores Israel's right to defend itself. Such steps do not contribute to promote calm and stability in the region. Rather, they provide tailwind to terrorism, and naturally affect Brazil’s capacity to wield influence,” the text reads.

Yigal Palmor further said that “Israel expects support from its friends in its struggle against Hamas, which is recognized as a terror organization by many countries around the world.” Israeli newspapers, however, have reported harsher criticism from the spokesman. According to Jewish The Jerusalem Post, Palmor said that “This is an unfortunate demonstration of why Brazil, an economic and cultural giant, remains a diplomatic dwarf,” adding that “The moral relativism behind this move makes Brazil an irrelevant diplomatic partner, one who creates problems rather than contributes to solutions.”

In a note published Wednesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry also reiterated its call for an “immediate ceasefire” between the two parties. Brazil’s ministry, in turn, explained that, given the gravity of the situation, the institution voted for the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which condemns the current military offensive in the Gaza Strip and creates an international commission to investigate all violations and charge those accountable for them.

The Israeli Confederation of Brazil also responded to the issue through a statement, in an effort to “manifest its outrage at the note issued by our Foreign Ministry, in which the unilateral approach over the conflict in the Gaza Strip is made clear as it criticizes Israel and ignores the doings of terrorist group Hamas.”

“A note like the one released on Wednesday can only serve to increase the mistrust with which important sectors of Israeli society, from many political and ideological fields, view Brazil’s external policy,” stated the institution, which went on to say that it shares the concern felt by the Brazilian people, and expresses “profound grief over the deaths on both sides of the conflict,” in addition to expect an immediate ceasefire as well.

In a previous note, released on July 17, the Brazilian government stated that it “likewise condemns the launch of Gaza rockets and mortar shells against Israel.” Brazil and Germany are the only countries that maintain diplomatic relations with all member nations of the UN. Yesterday, it was one of the 29 countries to vote for the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council. There were 17 abstentions, and the US’s was the sole opposing vote. Apart from Japan, all European countries present, among which France, the UK and Germany, chose to abstain.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira