Ties between Brazil and "Israel" deteriorated further this week after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declined to approve "Israel's" appointment of Gali Dagan, the former envoy to Colombia, as ambassador to Brasília. The rejection leaves the position vacant and prompted "Israel's" Foreign Ministry to announce that bilateral relations will now be handled "at a lower diplomatic level."

According to The Times of Israel, the ministry explained, "After Brazil, unusually, refrained from replying to Ambassador Dagan's request for agreement, Israel withdrew the request, and relations between the countries are now being conducted at a lower diplomatic level."

The diplomatic standoff reflects the deeper rift caused by "Israel's" war on Gaza, which Lula has repeatedly condemned. In February 2024, he declared, "What is happening in the Gaza Strip is not war. This is genocide. It is not a war of soldiers against soldiers. It is a war between a trained military against women and children." Israeli leaders reacted furiously, summoning Brazil's ambassador and declaring Lula persona non grata, a designation reaffirmed on Monday.

Brazil's position mirrors the widespread anger in Brazilian society. Major trade unions, including oil workers, have urged the government to impose an energy embargo on "Israel," while polls reveal broad public support for restricting arms and trade ties with Tel Aviv. The outrage has also translated into the judicial arena: Brazilian courts have pursued inquiries into Israeli war crimes, including the high-profile case of Yuval Vagdani, an Israeli soldier accused of demolishing shelters for displaced Palestinians. 

Diplomatic and legal measures

In practice, Lula's government has taken several steps to distance itself from "Israel." Brazil recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv in 2024 and reassigned him to Geneva, leaving its mission in "Israel" vacant. In October 2024, Brasília also delayed a planned weapons deal with Israeli security firm Elbit Systems, signaling unease over military cooperation.

Most significantly, in July 2025, Brazil announced that it would formally join South Africa's genocide case against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Lula has framed this move as part of Brazil's duty to uphold international law and protect Palestinian civilians. Earlier, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Brazil had convened emergency meetings on Gaza and criticized the UN's failure to stop the bloodshed.

Read more: Brazil's Lula likens Gaza genocide to Hitler's actions in Nazi Germany

Brazil has consistently backed Palestinian rights. It officially recognized the State of Palestine in 2010, within the 1967 borders, and has maintained that stance under successive governments. Lula's renewed activism has now placed Brazil at the forefront of global criticism of "Israel," widening the gap between Brasília and Tel Aviv.