Brazil recalls ambassador to Israel: Diplomatic source

Brazil has recalled its ambassador to Israel, a diplomatic source told reporters on Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions between the two countries over Israel's war in Gaza.

Israel had previously summoned the South American country's ambassador Frederico Meyer to a meeting at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial center in Jerusalem, where he was publically reprimanded in Hebrew without a translator present, said the Brazilian source.

This "humiliation" to which Meyer was subjected contributed to his permanent recall, the source said.

The source said conditions had not been met for Meyer to return to Israel and there are no immediate plans to replace him.

Brazil will now be represented in Israel by diplomat Fabio Farias.

Israel's foreign ministry said in a statement it had not yet received "an official notification about the matter."

Farias "will be summoned to the foreign ministry tomorrow for a meeting on the subject," said the ministry.

However, he has received support elsewhere in Latin America, notably from Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, who went so far as to sever ties with Israel.

Both Brazil and Colombia have supported South Africa's complaint against Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, alleging the Gaza assault amounted to a breach of the Genocide Convention.

On Friday, Lula expressed his "tremendous sadness" after the Israeli army announced that it had recovered the bodies of three hostages, including that of an Israeli-Brazilian citizen, Michel Nisenbaum.

He added he was "committed to the efforts to free all the hostages, and to achieve a ceasefire and peace for the people of Israel and Palestine."

Norway, Spain and Ireland on Tuesday formally recognized a State of Palestine, breaking with the long-held position of Western powers that a Palestinian state can only come as part of a negotiated peace with Israel.

Israel has slammed the move as a "reward" for Hamas.

Agence France-Presse