NextFin news, On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) publicly condemned statements made by Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz, who labeled Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as an "antisemite declared" and a "supporter of Hamas." The remarks were made amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Brazil and Israel in Brasília.
In an official note published on social media, Itamaraty described Katz's comments as "offenses, untruths, and unacceptable rudeness" directed at Brazil and its head of state. The Brazilian foreign ministry urged Katz to take responsibility and investigate the recent attack on the Nasser hospital in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians, including patients, journalists, and humanitarian workers.
The ministry highlighted that Israeli military operations have caused the deaths of 62,744 Palestinians, including a third who were women and children, and accused Israel of imposing a "policy of hunger as a weapon of war" against Gaza's population. It also noted that Israel is under investigation by the International Court of Justice for plausible violations of the Genocide Convention.
The verbal offensive from Katz followed Brazil's announcement of its withdrawal from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an organization dedicated to combating antisemitism. Katz accused President Lula of aligning with regimes such as Iran, which denies the Holocaust and threatens Israel's existence.
The diplomatic crisis intensified after Israel announced on Monday, August 25, that it would downgrade its diplomatic relations with Brazil due to Brazil's refusal to grant agrément to Israel's nominated ambassador to Brasília, Gali Dagan, a necessary step for official diplomatic acceptance.
Katz also claimed that Lula had been declared persona non grata in Israel during his tenure as foreign minister due to offensive statements about the Holocaust. He stated that Brazil's exit from the IHRA revealed the "true face" of the Brazilian president.
Itamaraty, in turn, held Katz responsible for worsening the crisis and emphasized that it is his duty to ensure Israel prevents and stops genocide against Palestinians.
This diplomatic dispute unfolds amid ongoing violence in Gaza and international scrutiny of Israel's military actions in the region.
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