Brazil recalls ambassador from Israel in protest, following Ecuador

July 28, 2014
Issue 

The Brazilian government recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv on July 23, the Wall Street Journal said the next day. Brazil condemned the "disproportionate use of force" by Israel in a military offensive in Gaza.

Brazil's foreign ministry said in aJuly 23 statement: "We strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip, from which large numbers of civilian casualties, including women and children, resulted.

"The Brazilian government considers unacceptable the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine," it added.

Brazil is the second country to recall its envoy from Israel. Ecuador withdrew its ambassador from Tel Aviv on July 18 in protest at Israel's offensive..

Middle East Monitor reported that Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino said: “We condemn the Israeli military incursion into Palestinian territory, we require cessation of operations and indiscriminate attacks against civilians.”

On July 19, Venezuela's socialist government condemned Israel, saying it had “initiated a higher phase of its policy of genocide and extermination with the ground invasion of Palestinian territory, killing innocent men, women, girls and boys”.

The statement said: "Venezuela also rejects the cynical campaigns trying to condemn both parties equally, when it is clear you cannot morally compare occupied and massacred Palestine with the occupying state, Israel, which also possesses military superiority ...”

Bolivian President Evo Morales also condemned the Israeli invasion of Gaza, Press TV said on July 21, saying it was time to take action “to end the genocide that Israel is carrying out on Palestine”.

The anti-imperialist governments of Venezuela and Bolivia had already cut ties with Israel in response to its 2009 Operation Cast Lead attack on Gaza.

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