Original article (in Albanian) was published on 2/5/2024; Author: Ilda Hoxha
Claim: The Brazilian president was declared ‘persona non grata’ by Israel after making insults against the Holocaust
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The Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was declared ‘persona non grata’ by Israel, not for insulting the Holocaust, but for comparing the situation in Gaza to the massacre carried out by the Nazis against the Jews. Verifications show that pro-Israeli media in Albania have misinterpreted Da Silva’s statement.
Articles shared in online media state that Israel declared the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, ‘persona non grata’ after he allegedly insulted the Holocaust.
‘Insulting the Holocaust, Israel declares the President of Brazil ‘persona non grata” – writes the portal ‘Izraeli Sot.’
| Insulting the Holocaust, Israel declares the President of Brazil ‘persona non grata’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s words as ‘shameful’. |
Articles shared in online media
Furthermore, this article states that the reason for this decision was the comparison made by the President of Brazil between the country’s military operation in the Gaza Strip and the massive killing of European Jews ordered by the Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler.
Therefore, at no point does it mention that da Silva insulted the Holocaust, but simply made a comparison with the current situation in the Gaza Strip.
‘The Times of Israel‘, in contrast to the portal ‘Izraeli Sot’, writes in its headline that President Lula was declared ‘persona non grata’ for comparing the conflict in Gaza to the Holocaust.
In his speech, the Brazilian president said: ‘What is happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people has not occurred at any other time in history. In fact, it has, when Hitler decided to kill the Jews’.
In February of this year, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, ‘persona non grata’ after the latter compared the death toll in the air and ground offensive in Gaza to the Holocaust.
Afterwards, in a statement to the media in Brazil, da Silva clarified that he had not used the word ‘Holocaust’ in his comments about Israel.
‘Firstly, I did not say the word ‘Holocaust,’ that was the interpretation of the Israeli Prime Minister, not mine’, said the president.
Lula also asserted his belief that Israel is responsible for committing genocide against civilians in Gaza.
According to reports in the international media, the International Criminal Court in The Hague could issue international arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli military, Herzi Halevi.
