Israel has accused Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of downplaying the Nazi Holocaust and insulting Jews after he compared Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza to the genocide committed by Nazis in World War II. The Brazilian president accused Israel of committing "genocide" against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, likening it to "the Holocaust of the Jews during the Second World War."
Lula told reporters in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the African Union summit, "What is happening in Gaza is not a war; it is genocide," asserting that "what is happening in Gaza to the Palestinian people has not happened at any other stage in history, in fact, it already happened when Hitler decided to kill the Jews."
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated that he would summon the Brazilian ambassador to reprimand him over the remarks made by the "president who severely criticized Israel's approach to its war in Gaza." Katz mentioned on "X": "No one will undermine Israel's right to defend itself," adding that the ministry would summon the ambassador tomorrow, Monday. The post did not specify the remarks by Lula that Katz was addressing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Brazilian president's comments as "shameful and dangerous." In a statement, Netanyahu said: "This is downplaying the Holocaust and an attempt to attack Jews and Israel's right to defend itself. Drawing comparisons between Israel and the Nazis and Hitler crosses a red line."
