- Lula accuses Israel of genocide
- Netanyahu condemns Lula’s comparison
- Lula supports two-state solution
Netanyahu’s war on Gaza has been compared to Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has accused Israel of “genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
“The situation in the Gaza Strip is genocide, not war,” Lula told reporters on Sunday from Addis Ababa, where he was attending an African Union summit.
“Soldiers are not engaged in combat with one another. A highly prepared army is at war against women and children,” the President of Brazil added.
“The current situation involving the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is unlike anything that has ever occurred before in history. In fact, this occurred when Hitler decided to exterminate the Jewish population.”
Under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, the Nazi regime systematically executed six million Jews during the course of World War II.
Regarding the remarks, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated he would summon the Brazilian ambassador for a reprimand.
Israel Responds to Lula’s Criticism
Katz stated on X, “No one will jeopardize Israel’s right to defend itself,” adding that the envoy would be summoned on Monday.
The remark was deemed “disgraceful and grave” by Benjamin Netanyahu, his Israeli counterpart.
“This constitutes an attempt to devalue the Holocaust and undermine the Jewish people’s and Israel’s right to defend itself. It is beyond a red line to draw parallels between Israel and the Nazis or Hitler,” Netanyahu declared in a statement.
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Lula, 78, called Hamas’ attack on southern Israel a “terrorist” operation the day it happened.
Since then, however, his criticism of Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has become more vocal.
The Hamas-led assault on southern Israel claimed the lives of at least 1,139 individuals, the majority of whom were civilians.
Lula Advocates for Palestinian Aid and Peace
Israeli authorities said Hamas captured 250 people, 130 of whom are in Gaza and 30 presumed dead.
The majority of the at least 28,858 casualties in Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza have been women and children. This is according to Palestinian authorities.
Lula criticized the recent decisions of Western nations to suspend assistance to UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees, in response to Israel’s allegations that some UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led attack.
On the sidelines of the summit on Saturday, Lula met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. During their meeting, Lula announced that Brazil intends to increase its contribution to the agency. He urged other nations to follow suit.
Lula stated, “When I see the wealthy world announce that it is ceasing its contributions to humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, I can only imagine how politically astute and united these people are in their hearts.”
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His call for a two-state solution to the conflict was reaffirmed. He wants Palestine to be “unequivocally recognized as a complete and sovereign nation-state.”
