Brazil's Bolsonaro Wants to Move Israel Embassy to Jerusalem
Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro has told an Israeli newspaper he intends to defy the Palestinians and most of the world by moving his country's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Brazil would become the second major country after the United States to do so.
Asked in an interview with Israel Hayom published Thursday if he would move Brazil's embassy, as he had indicated during his campaign, Bolsonaro said Israel should decide where its capital is located.
"When I was asked during the campaign if I'd do it when I became president, I said 'yes, the one who decides on the capital of Israel is you, not other nations'," he told the paper, which is a firm backer of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, with international consensus being that the status of the whole city must be negotiated between the two sides.
Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
In December, President Donald Trump reversed longstanding U.S. policy and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, prompting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to boycott his administration.
The embassy was officially transferred on May 14, with Guatemala and Paraguay following suit, though the latter announced last month it would return its embassy to Tel Aviv.
Bolsonaro, 63, who won a run-off election on Sunday, has outraged many with his overtly misogynistic, homophobic and racist rhetoric.
Following his victory, Netanyahu told Bolsonaro he was certain his election "will lead to a great friendship between our peoples and the tightening of links between Brazil and Israel."
An official in Netanyahu's office told AFP the Israeli premier was "very likely" to attend Bolsonaro's inauguration ceremony in January.
6 years
This has nothing to do with Lebanon. It has to do with the Middle East. Jerusalem is in the Middle East. That is why it is filed under the headline "MIDDLE EAST". Unless you're looking to move Israel outside the Middle East, then the headline will say something else. Naharnet is in the business of covering news from all over the world and the Middle East is part of the world. So this is of their business. Simple.
6 years
You have forgotten one thing the Lebanese no matter where they are or how long they are outside of Lebanon will always be bribed and they will sell their soles for the might buck. So with a little bribery they will move the Embassy to the West Bank and declare the west bank the capital of Israel if that is what is required of them...
6 years
Ultra fascists, homophobes and racists the only ones who support an apartheid terrorist states like Israel...... Jerusalem is a Palestinian city, now is under occupation, but occupation doesn't last forever, so Bolsonaro can spare his effort.....
6 years
I am wondering if anyone on here seeing what is going continue to believe for a moment that Israel will ever give up an inch of land to the Palestinians. Wake up folks its over Palestine is no longer a country and will never be one again...
6 years
The Arabs sold them out a long time ago. KSA purchased 280 Million dollars from Israel in Military spy gear, Oman is discussing building a direct rail link to and from Israel, Palestinians are getting killed every day and not a word from any Arab / Muslim country. What more do you need
6 years
canadianleb - Wake up folks its over Palestine is no longer a country.
Excuse me, but whenever was it?
Excuse me but what has it go to do with Lebanon as to where one country has its embassy in another. As long as the Brazilian Embassy to Lebanon remains in Beirut and doesn't get transferred to say Miyeh Miyeh then it is no business of yours.