Egypt's Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held talks with visiting Brazilian Lula in Cairo on the 15th, and the two sides made noteworthy speeches at a joint press conference after the meeting. They said it was essential to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, release detainees and provide assistance to the area to protect civilian lives. Even more remarkable is the fact that the leaders of the two countries expressed their support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State to end the long-running Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
However, on February 18, at the African Union summit, Lula of Brazil harshly criticized Israel's military action in the Gaza Strip, calling it a "genocide" against the Palestinians. A series of chain reactions underscore the high sensitivity and enormous political impact of the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Lula's remarks sparked a fierce reaction from all sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Lula for crossing a red line, and Israel*** summoned the Brazilian ambassador to Israel and proposed**. And within Brazil, there is also a sharp opposition around Lula's criticism of Israel. While most netizens strongly support Lula's views, there are concerns that such remarks could affect international cooperation in Brazil and beyond.
In the Brazilian Congress, opposition lawmakers demanded that Lula be prosecuted, saying that his remarks violated the provisions of Brazilian law on the responsibility of speech. However, the ** faction of parliamentarians firmly supported Lula's views, arguing that his words represented a voice for justice on the international stage.
Why, then, is Lula so vehemently critical of Israel? In addition to personal values and experiences, there are deeper strategic considerations. First, Lula hopes to gain political identity in African countries by supporting Palestine, thereby consolidating Brazil's influence in Africa. Second, he also hopes to use this method to combat the far-right forces in Latin America and prevent Israeli forces from expanding their influence in South America.
However, Lula's remarks have not only sparked heated debate in Brazil, but could also have far-reaching consequences for Latin America as a whole. In Brazil in particular, Lula is under pressure, and the topic of Israel has become one of the opposition's attacks. In Argentina, Milley's cooperation with Israel has also sparked disagreements between the government and the opposition.
As the military campaign in the Gaza Strip heats up, the debate is likely to intensify further, triggering not only a more serious humanitarian crisis, but also an escalation of internal political struggles in more countries. Against this background, the international community needs to approach the Palestinian-Israeli issue more rationally and calmly in order to seek a more peaceful and stable solution.
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