Photo: Buda Mendes/ Getty Images
RIO DE JANEIRO, 19 February. /TASS/. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has ordered to recall the country's ambassador to Tel Aviv for consultations in connection with the tension caused by the Brazilian leader's statement that Israel's actions in Gaza are comparable to the atrocities committed by Hitler, the Folha de S.Paulo daily reported.
According to the newspaper, the decision was taken in response to Israel's move to summon the Brazilian envoy to the Foreign Ministry.
Lula da Silva said on 18 February that Israel had killed dozens of civilians in its bombing of Gaza, which is comparable to what Hitler did to the Jews. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Brazilian president's statement as "shameful" and said that he and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz had decided to immediately summon the Brazilian ambassador to Israel for a "stern rebuke".
On February 19, Minister Zaranichi Katz declared the Brazilian president persona non grata until he apologizes and withdraws from comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. For his part, Lula da Silva's special envoy for international affairs, Celso Amorim, said that the head of state had no intention of apologising.
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