Relationship dossier
Brazil
Israel
Relationship assessment
Longstanding ties strained by opposing positions over the Gaza war
Brazil toward Israel
-20Brazil has maintained relations and economic ties with Israel, but its government sharply criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza and recalled Brazil’s ambassador from Israel in 2024.
Israel toward Brazil
-15Israel has maintained relations and practical cooperation with Brazil, but its government strongly rejected President Lula’s remarks about the Gaza war and declared him persona non grata in 2024.
Overall relationship
-5The bilateral relationship has a durable diplomatic and economic foundation, but cooperation has not prevented recurring political friction. The 2024 dispute over Gaza, including Brazil’s ambassadorial recall and Israel’s response to Lula’s remarks, is a prominent recent strain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Brazil and Israel have maintained diplomatic and economic relations, with periods of practical cooperation. Relations have faced substantial political strain over the Gaza war: Brazil recalled its ambassador from Israel in 2024, while Israel sharply rebuked President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and declared him persona non grata. This recent dispute weighs heavily on an otherwise longstanding bilateral relationship.
Areas of tension
- Brazilian criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza
- The diplomatic dispute following President Lula’s comparison of Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust
Key developments
Brazil recalled its ambassador from Israel amid a dispute over the Gaza war.
Israel declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva persona non grata after his remarks comparing Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of ongoing bilateral cooperation in trade, security and other fields is unclear.
- The course of diplomatic relations after the 2024 dispute is uncertain.