The ongoing conflict, now nearing eight months, has strained Israel’s diplomatic relations with several countries, including Brazil.
In February, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused Israel of genocide, prompting Israel to declare him persona non grata.
Israel had previously summoned Brazil’s ambassador, Frederico Meyer, to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Centre in Jerusalem, where he was publicly reprimanded in Hebrew without a translator, according to a Brazilian source.
This incident contributed to Meyer’s permanent recall, the source added. Conditions for Meyer’s return have not been met, and there are no immediate plans for his replacement.
Lula has appointed Meyer as Brazil’s representative to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, as stated in Wednesday’s official gazette.
Diplomat Fabio Farias will now represent Brazil in Israel. Israel’s foreign ministry mentioned that it had not received an official notification about the matter and plans to summon Farias for a meeting.
Lula, a significant figure for the global south and current president of the G20, has faced criticism from the far right in Brazil for his remarks but has received support from other Latin American leaders, including Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who severed ties with Israel.
Both Brazil and Colombia support South Africa’s complaint against Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, alleging that the Gaza assault violated the Genocide Convention.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in 1,189 deaths, mostly civilians, and 252 hostages taken, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 that the Israeli army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in at least 36,171 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
On Friday, Lula expressed sorrow after the Israeli army recovered the bodies of three hostages, including Israeli-Brazilian citizen Michel Nisenbaum.
Lula reiterated his commitment to efforts to free all hostages and achieve a ceasefire and peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
As the conflict continues, international opposition to Israel’s actions has grown, particularly as the focus shifts to Rafah, the last Gaza city with ground fighting.
Before the offensive began on May 7, the UN had warned that up to 1.4 million people were sheltering in Rafah. Since then, one million have fled, according to the UNRWA.
The conflict has renewed global calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Norway, Spain, and Ireland have formally recognized the State of Palestine, diverging from the Western stance that a Palestinian state should result from negotiated peace with Israel. Israel criticized this recognition as a “reward” for Hamas.