Set Brazilian President Lula Non-Grata Persona After Alluding To Gaza's Genocide, Israeli Foreign Minister: We Don't Forget

JAKARTA - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was not accepted in Israel until he withdrew comments that likened the war against Hamas in Gaza to Nazi genocide during the Second World War, Israel's Foreign Minister said on Monday.

"We will not forget or forgive. This is a serious antisemitic attack. On behalf of me and the Israelis, inform President Lula that he is a non-graft persona in Israel until he withdraws him (comments) again," Israel's Foreign Minister Katz told Brazilian Ambassador Federico Mayer. according to a statement from the Foreign Minister's office, reported Reuters on February 19.

Israel accuses President Lula of underestimating the Holocaust and offending Jews in his speech at the 37th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Foreign Minister Katz summoned Ambassador Federico Mayer to the Holocaust commemoration of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem on Monday, to give a warning at the statement.

"I take you to a place that testify more than anything about what Nazi and Hitler did to Jews, including my family members," Foreign Minister Katz said, quoted by The Times of Israel.

"The comparison between Israel's fair war against Hamas and the atrocities of Hitler and Nazi is a shame," he said.

Earlier, President Lula called the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip a "genocide" while speaking at Sunday's African Union summit.

"What happened in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people has nothing to do with history. Indeed, it happened when Hitler decided to kill Jews," he said.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media X, President Lula was "domestic" of the Holocaust, "trying to harm Jews and Israeli rights to defend themselves," saying "comparing Israel to the Nazi Holocaust and Hitler was an act that crossed the line."

"Israel is fighting for its defense and securing its future until it reaches full victory and it is done while upholding international law," wrote PM Netanyahu.

"This is an attempt to underestimate the Holocaust and an attempt to attack Jews and Israel's right to self-defense. Making a comparison between Israel and the Nazis and Hitler is an act of crossing the red line," PM Netanyahu said in a statement.