SAO PAULO
Israel has lambasted Brazil over a decision to recall its ambassador in protest at Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Brazil's actions "do not contribute to promote calm and stability in the region.
"Rather, they provide [a] tailwind to terrorism and naturally affect Brazil's capacity to wield influence.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as adding: "This is an unfortunate demonstration of why Brazil, an economic and cultural giant, remains a diplomatic dwarf.
"The moral relativism behind this move makes Brazil an irrelevant diplomatic partner, one who creates problems rather than contributes to solutions."
Brazil's Ministry of External Affairs, the Itamaraty, issued a note Wednesday evening saying it viewed the "escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine" as "unacceptable," and that Brazil "strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip."
The note said Brazil's ambassador in Tel Aviv, Henrique Pinto, had been recalled, a move that Brazil's Globo News website labelled "exceptional," adding that such a tactic was "taken when the government wants to show its discontent and believes that the situation in [the] other country is extremely grave."
Brazil has also summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Brazil, Rafael Eldad, the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported Thursday.
During a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said her country was "profoundly concerned by the dramatic events” in Gaza.
Brazil was one of 29 countries in the UN Human Rights Council that voted Wednesday to investigate Israel over its military offensive in Gaza. The United States voted against the inquiry and 17 countries abstained.
Brazil is seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and has been trying to raise its presence on the international stage.
www.aa.com.tr/en
