Brazil’s Hamas-backed president urges ceasefire
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last week called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after 1,300 Israelis were massacred by Gaza Muslims.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has reportedly been working to secure the release of hundreds of hostages who were kidnapped during the October 7th attack and are being held in the Gaza Strip. Though Israeli leaders have promised a “merciless” war on Hamas — which claimed responsibility for the massacre — the IDF has responded with cautious airstrikes which have resulted in limited Hamas and Gazan casualties.
Lula has nevertheless called for a ceasefire.
"An international humanitarian intervention is urgently needed," he wrote on X. "A ceasefire is urgently needed in defense of Israeli and Palestinian children."
While Lula’s legitimacy as president is contested by millions of Brazilians, it has been celebrated by Hamas. After the presidential election in October 2022, Hamas called Lula’s declared win “a victory for all oppressed people around the globe, particularly the Palestinian people for he is known for his strong and continued support for the Palestinians at all international forums.”
Indeed, Lula has shown particular reverence for Yasser Arafat, creator of the PLO and the “Palestine” narrative. In 2010 Lula laid a wreath at Arafat’s grave while wearing a checkered keffiyeh scarf.
Lula’s close ties with Hamas are evident throughout this administration.
Five days before this month’s massacre, Lula’s Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha met with Hamas supporter Sayid Tenório, who heads the Brazil-Palestine Institute. Padilha received Tenório and other Muslim representatives at the federal government’s Planalto Palace, where they took photographs and Tenório presented his book, “Palestine, from the myth of the promised land to the land of resistance.”
Days later Tenório expressed support for the massacre of thousands of Israelis and tried to claim that “Palestinians” endure the same daily. Padilha’s office told CNN Brasil that his meeting with Tenório had only been a “courtesy visit,” but took the opportunity to suggest that Israel refrain from retaliating for the massacre.
Lula’s affinity for totalitarian leaders has also resulted in his warm friendship with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
