Arab League warns Brazil against embassy relocation

The Arab League on Thursday condemned Brazil’s opening of a trade office in Jerusalem and warned it against carrying out President Jair Bolsonaro’s pledge to move its embassy to the city, AFP reported.

Earlier this week, Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo, said at the opening ceremony of the trade office that his father intended to make good on a pledge he made early this year to move Brazil’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Arab League, after an emergency meeting called for by the Palestinian Authority, said Thursday it sees Brazil’s “unilateral and illegitimate decision (to open the trade office) as biased towards the Israeli occupation and in support of its illegal policies”.

The regional bloc also warned in a statement that Brazil’s policy shifts “would seriously damage Arab-Brazilian relations and interests”.

Bolsonaro announced after his election that he intended to uphold his campaign promise and move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem.

Arab leaders have repeatedly condemned Bolsonaro’s plan to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem and have pressured him not to go through with it.

The Arab League had previously warned Bolsonaro that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be a setback for relations with Arab countries.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) envoy to Brazil warned that moving Brazil’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would be an “attack” on Palestinian people and a breach of international law.