Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silv, ignited a firestorm on February 18th when he drew a provocative comparison between Israel's military actions in Gaza and the Holocaust during a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lula's remark, asserting a historical parallel, elicited strong reactions not only in Israel but also among Jewish communities in Brazil.
President Lula's Provocative Comparison
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stirred a major controversy on February 18th during a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he compared Israel's military actions in Gaza to the Holocaust. Lula remarked, "What's happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn't happened at any other time in history. Actually, it has happened: When Hitler decided to kill the Jews.", sparking a heated response both in Israel and among Jewish communities in Brazil.
This controversy unfolded against the backdrop of Israel's determination to proceed with an offensive in Rafah, Gaza, despite mounting international pressure.
Lula's assertion that the current situation in Gaza is reminiscent of Hitler's atrocities against the Jews drew condemnation from the highest levels of the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Lula, accusing him of "disgracing the memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis" and “demonizing the Jewish state like the most virulent anti-Semite”.
According to the BBC, Israel's foreign minister Israel Katz declared Lula as a "persona non grata" in the country until he retracted his statements. Additionally, he characterized Lula's remarks as an attempt to trivialize the Holocaust and undermine Israel's right to defend itself.
The Brazilian Israelite Confederation, the country's main Jewish organization, denounced Lula's remarks as a "perverse distortion of reality".
Condemning Both Hamas and Israel's Retaliation in Gaza
As reported by Le Monde, historically, Lula positioned himself as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, maintaining a delicate balance. According to that same news outlet, Lula condemned the attacks that killed 1200 Israelis in October 2023 and described Hamas as "terrorist", although characterizing Israel’s reaction against the civil population of Gaza as "insane".
In the past months, Lula described Israel's military campaign as a confrontation between a "highly prepared army and women and children”. The Gazan Health Ministry reports that over 28,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign on Gaza, which ensued after the Hamas-led strike on Israel on October 7.
In addition to his controversial statements, Lula voiced criticism against Western nations for their choice to suspend aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, following Israel's accusations of involvement in the Hamas-led attack.
After meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, Lula committed to augmenting Brazil's support to the agency and encouraged other nations to do the same. In addition, he restated his support for a two-state resolution to the conflict, emphasizing the need for the definitive recognition of Palestine as a fully sovereign state.
President Lula's recent statements have not only strained Brazil's relations with Israel but have also highlighted the intricate challenges leaders face when addressing the complex and sensitive Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As tensions persist and global attention remains fixed on the region, the controversy sparked by Lula's remarks underscores the urgency for diplomatic solutions.
Image Credit: Le Monde
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