Brazilian President recalls ambassador after being declared persona non grata in Israel

After being declared persona non grata for comparing the war in Gaza to the Holocaust, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced today (Monday) that he would be recalling his ambassador from Israel and would be reprimanding Israel's ambassador at 11 PM Israel time, according to a report by Ynet.

The controversy began when President Lula compared the war in Gaza to what Hitler did to the Jews at an African Union summit.

In response, Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz summoned the Brazilian President to Yad Vashem where he made clear that Israel considers Lula's statement to be antisemitic and unacceptable, and as such he would be declared persona non grata in the country until he apologized. President Lula then responded by recalling the ambassador.

Foreign Minister Katz responded to the news by saying on X/Twitter that "we will not bow our heads. Until Brazilian President Lula apologizes and recants the antisemitic words of incitement he hurled at the Jewish People and Israel - he will be a persona non grata in the State of Israel."