Brazil's Lula not welcome in Israel, Israel's foreign minister says

Israel's foreign minister on Monday said that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was not welcome in Israel until he takes back his comments likening the war against Hamas militants in Gaza to the Nazi genocide during World War Two.

"We will not forget nor forgive. It is a serious antisemitic attack. In my name and the name of the citizens of Israel - tell President Lula that he is persona non grata in Israel until he takes it back," Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Brazil's ambassador, according to a statement from Katz's office.

Israel has accused Lula of trivialising the Holocaust and causing offense to the Jewish people, and Katz had summoned the Brazilian ambassador for a reprimand over the remarks.

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