Lula, Blinken meet following Israel controversy

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the Gaza crisis, among other topics, on Wednesday.

"President Lula reaffirmed his wish for peace and an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip," the Brazilian presidential office said in a statement after the meeting. "Both agreed on the need for the creation of a Palestinian State."

On February 18, Lula da Silva compared Israel's attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip to the massacre of Jews by Nazis during World War II, sparking a diplomatic scuffle between the two countries.

His remarks garnered widespread attention, prompting Israel to declare Lula da Silva "persona non grata (a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome)" until he retracted his statement. Brazil's president, meanwhile, recalled his ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultation.

Following his meeting with the Brazilian president, Blinken traveled to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers from the G20.

The diplomatic tension between Brazil and Israel continued into a fifth day after Lula da Silva's statement.

"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," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Brazil's ambassador, according to a statement from Katz's office. 

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira hit back at Israel. "For a foreign ministry to address a head of state from a friendly country in this way is unusual and revolting," Vieira told Reuters and another news agency at the meeting of G20 foreign ministers.

"It is a shameful page in the history of Israel's diplomacy," Vieira said, adding that Israel tries to create a smokescreen to cover up what is happening in Gaza.

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters)