Israel condemns Lula likening Gaza war to Holocaust

Israel has strongly condemned former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for likening the recent conflict in Gaza to the Holocaust.

In a speech at a rally in Sao Paulo, Lula reportedly said, “It is my obligation to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people. What is happening in Gaza is a crime. It is a massacre. It is a Holocaust.”

The Israeli government immediately issued a statement denouncing Lula’s remarks as offensive and historically inaccurate. They accused him of trivializing the horrors of the Holocaust and exploiting the memory of the millions of Jewish victims.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “The comparison made by Lula is not only false and outrageous, but also deeply offensive to the Jewish people and all those who suffered during the Holocaust.”

Israel has called on the international community to condemn Lula’s comments and hold him accountable for his words. They have also demanded an apology from the former Brazilian President.

The controversy comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East following the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread destruction.