Palestinian envoy to Brazil: Moving the embassy is an 'attack' on Palestinians

Alzeben also said that the embassy move would be breaking international law.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, and the wife of the PM Sara Netanyahu   (photo credit: AVI OHAYON - GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, and the wife of the PM Sara Netanyahu
(photo credit: AVI OHAYON - GPO)
Moving Brazil’s embassy to Jerusalem would be an “attack" on the Palestinian people, the Palestinian envoy to Brazil Ibrahim Alzeben said on Tuesday according to France 24, a state-owned French news service.   
Alzeben also said that the embassy move would be breaking international law. 
"Moving the embassy of any country... is a violation of international law and an attack on the Palestinian people," Alzeben told AFP.
This statement comes right before Brazi’s President Jair Bolsonaro is set to visit Israel from Sunday to Thursday. Bolsonaro has previously pledged to move the embassy from Tel Aviv. 
Bolsonaro’s visit, which would be the first since president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva became the first-ever Brazilian leader to visit in March 2010, is widely expected to be used by the Netanyahu campaign to underscore his diplomatic experience and successes in forging relations around the world.
Over much of the last two decades, Brazil has been unstintingly pro-Palestinian and often among the most critical of Israel in international forums – a pattern Bolsonaro said he will change.
Brazil will move its embassy to Jerusalem, the question is one of “when,” not “if,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had  said  in late December in Rio de Janeiro.
Bolsonaro said at that meeting that he wants to be more than Netanyahu’s friend.
“I want to be his brother,” he said. “I believe that other countries will respect Brazil more when it recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.”
Herb Keinon contributed to the report.

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