Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's recent statements comparing Israel's actions in Gaza to genocide and the Holocaust have sparked significant controversy and tension between Brazil and Israel, as well as with the United States. Secretary of State Antony Blinken downplayed the tension over the Israel-Hamas War, emphasizing that disagreements can occur between friends, quoting "friends disagree." The comments have been widely criticized, including within Brazil, where a CNN Brasil poll found that 83% disagreed with Lula's comparison. Despite the backlash, Lula has reiterated his stance, further straining diplomatic relations. The controversy overshadowed the significance of a foreign ministers' meeting, according to remarks from the Brazil Institute Director. Additionally, Brazil, under its G20 presidency, is focusing on global governance reform, climate change, and fighting inequality and poverty, prioritizing these over the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, while also promoting its candidacy for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council amidst divisions over candidates. Amidst these diplomatic tensions, Lula's foreign policy is expected to become more aggressive, overshadowing traditional Itamaraty (Brazilian Foreign Ministry) practices, with a strong partnership on climate expected to survive the controversy.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has doubled down on his comments which compared Israel to Nazis and the war in #Gaza to the Holocaust on Friday. https://t.co/l3U2RaBDjj
Israeli Foreign Minister faces Brazilian backlash over AI image The unfortunate X post by Israel Katz comes amid a row with President Lula https://t.co/9YItIhuXKE https://t.co/xfi8uBM5Q2
Lula was wrong to call the war in Gaza a genocide - but Israelis should listen hard and reconsider the path their government has put them on, writes @MarcChampion1 https://t.co/NkepE6GlwF via @opinion
🇧🇷🇮🇱🚨‼️ “What Israel is doing to the Palestinian people is not war. It is gen**ide!” - Brazilian President Lula da Silva https://t.co/PO19JxqQWD
“It is unacceptable for children and women to spend the night in Gaza without getting food or even a cup of milk.” It is unacceptable for a single United States vote in the Security Council to obstruct the issuance of a ceasefire resolution in Gaza.” — President Lula of Brazil https://t.co/c1U4eToVz6
“What Israel is doing to the Palestinian people is not war. It is genocide.” “There are thousands of children dead, thousands missing.” “Women and children are dying in hospitals.” “If this isn’t genocide, I don’t know what is.” —Lula of Brazil https://t.co/TNY30M5H7p
“What Israel is doing is not war. It is genocide. They are murdering children and women.” “In the same way that I said when I was in prison that I would not exchange my freedom for my dignity, I say: I will not exchange my dignity for falsehood.” —President of Brazil, Lula https://t.co/qZsmRdkBqi
President of Brasil Lula da Silva about Israeli misdeeds in Gaza Strip https://t.co/uhR9CSDk5H
‘If this isn’t genocide, I don’t know what is!’ @LulaOficial doubled down on Israel at an event in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. https://t.co/WsUfwW3gkG
Brazilian President Lula da Silva "As I said when I was in prison that I wouldn't accept a deal to get out of jail because I wouldn't exchange my dignity for my freedom, I wanna tell you that I won't exchange my dignity for falsehood and I want to tell you that I support the… https://t.co/MkNOWlYp7x
Brazil's president reiterates his position rejecting war in the Gaza Strip and repeats his description of Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians as genocide. https://t.co/IsHqryaG5U
🇧🇷🇵🇸⚡ Brazilian President, Lula da Silva: “As I said when I was in prison that I wouldn't accept a deal to get out of jail because I wouldn't exchange my dignity for my freedom, I want to tell you that I won't exchange my dignity for falsehood and I want to tell you that I… https://t.co/QWoa7M6ppn
Brazilian President Lula da Silva, describing the situation in Gaza: "It is a genocide. Thousands of children are dead and thousands are missing. Soldiers are not dying. Women and children are dying at the hospital. If that's not genocide, I don't know what genocide is," https://t.co/A49w1uG6z9
BREAKING: BRAZIL PRESIDENT OFFICIAL STATEMENT “It is unacceptable for children and women to spend the night in Gaza without getting food or even a cup of milk It is unacceptable for a single United States vote in the Security Council to obstruct the issuance of a ceasefire… https://t.co/dgnIPQWRYL
NEW: ⚡ 🇧🇷President of Brazil, Lula Da Silva: "What the 🇮🇱Israeli government is doing is not war, it is GENOCIDE. They are murdering children and women." "In the same way that I said when I was in prison that I would not accept any deal to get out of prison and that I would… https://t.co/PfZd0zAzma
“Stop judging me based on what the prime minister of Israel says” — @LulaOficial https://t.co/BM0EHCT9gl
After Lula's recent statements about the Holocaust, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted an AI generated image picture of unity between Brazilian and Israeli people. He added the comment: “Lula, even you can’t separate us" 🇧🇷🇮🇱 https://t.co/aM0yU5mH9A
Lula’s harsh criticism of Israel was poorly received in Washington, but both sides understand that “good friends can disagree,” my @TheWilsonCenter colleague, @BrazilInst Director @hourly_radio, said. The “strong partnership,” including on climate, will survive this controversy. https://t.co/lGYpoiNbtZ
Despite the controversy over Lula’s remarks on the war in Gaza, his foreign policy is likely to become “more and more aggressive,” @CNN analyst @lsantanna told us this morning, as Lula’s style and ideological preferences overshadow Itamaraty traditions. https://t.co/lGYpoiNbtZ
A CNN Brasil poll on Monday found that eight of 10 Brazilians – or 83% of those polled – took issue with Lula’s comparison of Israel's war against Hamas to the Holocaust. @HerbKeinon https://t.co/amV3U937RV
Brazil is using its @g20org presidency to promote its candidacy for @UN Security Council permanent membership, @CNN analyst @lsantanna told us. “This is dominating Brazil’s foreign policy,” but given divisions over candidates, including 🇮🇳, 🇯🇵, and 🇩🇪, “this is going nowhere.” https://t.co/lGYpoiNbtZ
Brazil’s @g20org organizers are eager for the organization to focus this year on global governance reform, climate change, and the fight against inequality and poverty, rather than the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, @CNN analyst @lsantanna told us this morning. https://t.co/lGYpoiNbtZ
US-Brazil tension over Lula’s controversial criticisms of Israel “eclipsed the significance of the foreign ministers’ meeting,” my colleague, @BrazilInst Director @hourly_radio, said in remarks from Rio. “It’s a pity, to be honest.” https://t.co/lGYpoiNbtZ
The Brazil-Israel spat is not merely a hiccup but a reflection of Israel’s growing difficulties in making its case across the global south https://t.co/oKJnZfZbiX via @ft
Sec Blinken is not too concerned about Brazilian President Lula's comparison of Israel-Hamas War to the Holocaust, cos hey, "friends disagree." https://t.co/HJOFHPiIEz
Sec Blinken is not too concerned about Brazilian President Lula's comparison of Israel-Hamas War to the Holocaust, because "friends disagree." https://t.co/bBL9TAIExd