New Brazilian President Says He'll Move Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem

Jair Bolsonaro, newly elected president of Brazil, poses with his wife Michelle as they arrive to cast their votes at a polling center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 28, 2018. Reuters/Ricardo Moraes/Pool

Newly elected Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that he'll move Brazil’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, following President Donald Trump’s lead.

Bolsonaro made the pledge to move the Brazilian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in August, reported JTA. After the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem, a number of other countries followed suit, including Guatemala.

Bolsonaro also said he would shut down the Palestinian embassy in Brazil, noting that Palestine isn’t a country.

“Is Palestine a country? Palestine is not a country, so there should be no embassy here,” he said.

“You do not negotiate with terrorists,” he added, referring to how the Palestine territories are mostly controlled by the terrorist group, Hamas.

Bolsonaro, 63, has spoken highly of Israel during his campaign and said at one point that his first international trip as president would be to the Middle Eastern country.

“Bolsonaro stood out among the many candidates for including the State of Israel in the major speeches he made during the campaign,” Israel’s honorary consul in Rio, Osias Wurman, told JTA. “He is a lover of the people and the State of Israel.”

Against Socialism

His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, considered one of the most influential voices in his father’s campaign, told Bloomberg in August that Brazil should sever ties with Venezuela’s socialist government and distance itself from Iran, which supports multiple terror groups, while getting closer with Israel.

“You need to play tough with Venezuela. It’ll be a 180-degree change in relation to Venezuela,” he said. “Pro-Iranian position? It’ll change.”

About moving the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, he added, “We’re very sympathetic to the idea. Our side is being against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Islamic state.”

Bolsonaro, who will take office on Jan. 1, 2019, earned 56 percent of the vote to 44 percent for leftist Fernando Haddad.

“We cannot continue flirting with socialism, communism, populism, and leftist extremism … We are going to change the destiny of Brazil,” Bolsonaro said in an acceptance address. The conservative lawmaker said that he’ll govern according to the Bible and the country’s constitution.

Spoke With Trump

Bolsonaro spoke with President Trump after being elected.

The two plan to work together, said Trump, who has also been a vocal opponent of socialism and communism.

“Had a very good conversation with the newly elected President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, who won his race by a substantial margin,” the president said via Twitter.

“We agreed that Brazil and the United States will work closely together on Trade, Military and everything else! Excellent call, wished him congrats!”

Bolsonaro previously told The Epoch Times that he admires a lot of things about Trump’s administration, including “union, patriotism, and Trump speaking about God and family—values that aren’t being followed in Brazil.”

From NTD.tv