Israel warns Brazil faces diplomatic downgrade unless it accepts settler as ambassador

www.theguardian.com...

Brazil’s reluctance to accept an Israeli ambassador who is a West Bank settler has led to a standoff with Israel now warning it could downgrade diplomatic relations.

The appointment four months ago of Dani Dayan, a former head of the Jewish settlement movement, did not go down well with Brazil’s left-leaning government, which has supported Palestinian statehood in recent years.

Most world powers deem the Jewish settlements illegal.

I'm with Brazil on this one, Jewish settlements inside the West Bank are illegal, well except to the gov't of Israel. Settlements and Jewish extremist outposts in the West Bank only create an ever lasting cycle of violence between Israel and the Palestinians and Brazil will not accept an Israeli ambassador that engages in it.

Dani Dayan

Dani Dayan (Hebrew: דני דיין‎); born 1955) is an Israeli political leader, entrepreneur [1] and advocate for the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He served as the Chairman of the Yesha Council from 2007 - 2013.[2][3] In 2013, he resigned as Chairman of the Yesha Council to endorse Benjamin Netanyahu for Prime Minister.[3] Dayan was subsequently appointed as Chief Foreign Envoy [4] of the Yesha Council, as the only official representative of the Israeli settlement movement to the international community.[3]

Described by the New York Times as “worldly and pragmatic”[5] and "the most effective leader the settlers have had.[6]" Dayan is perceived by many to be the face of the Israeli settlement movement to the international community. His writing appears in many publications, including The New York Times,[7] The Los Angeles Times,[8] The Boston Globe,[9] USA Today,[10] The Guardian,[11] Haaretz,[12] The Times of Israel[13] and The Jerusalem Post.

Brazil has enough trouble with home grown criminals. Why would they want to import more?

This is a bad time for Brazil to be picking a fight with with an important trade partner. The massively corrupt government is falling apart with its President sporting only 10% approval rating and under impeachment. Its economy is collapsing. A spat with Israel is the last thing they need right now. If they really want to make a point they should stop buying so many weapons from Israel thus funding the IDF. They will not do that of course. All Israel is going to do is wait for this government to fall. The thing about Israel is it makes itself to valuable as a trade and defense partner for anybody to ever do anything real. Playing games with Ambassadors is nothing but, a show. If they really wanted to make a point they and other would stop trade and buying up the Israeli military tech. That would require self sacrifice of course and lets face it not even the Arabs care enough to do that.

a reply to: MrSpad

I don't think Brazil is looking to tackle Israel as a whole but are instead hyper focused on the settler ambassador because it's probably the one issue they don't stand with Israel on. Will Brazil cave and accept him? History and politics agree with you but I do appreciate that Brazil had the guts to state it in the first place.

Funny enough, I did find this,

Brazilian Parliamentarians: 'Freeze Israel - Mercosur Free Trade Pact'

The Brazilian Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Relations and National Defense has recommended that the parliament should not ratify the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Mercosur and the State of Israel until "Israel accepts the creation of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders". This decision is an explicit act of pressure on Israel to comply with international law, and a rejection of years of incessant Israeli lobbying, pressuring for a vote to ratify the agreement.

This is bold since Brazil is a strong ally of Israel who denounces and outlaws anti semitism. They believe the Palestinians should also have a state of their own, that's pretty consistant of Brazil!

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: MrSpad

I don't think Brazil is looking to tackle Israel as a whole but are instead hyper focused on the settler ambassador because it's probably the one issue they don't stand with Israel on. Will Brazil cave and accept him? History and politics agree with you but I do appreciate that Brazil had the guts to state it in the first place.

Funny enough, I did find this,

Brazilian Parliamentarians: 'Freeze Israel - Mercosur Free Trade Pact'

The Brazilian Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Relations and National Defense has recommended that the parliament should not ratify the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Mercosur and the State of Israel until "Israel accepts the creation of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders". This decision is an explicit act of pressure on Israel to comply with international law, and a rejection of years of incessant Israeli lobbying, pressuring for a vote to ratify the agreement.

This is bold since Brazil is a strong ally of Israel who denounces and outlaws anti semitism. They believe the Palestinians should also have a state of their own, that's pretty consistant of Brazil!

It would have been better for Brazil to make this move when it was in better shape so Israel would not just blow them off. Right now Brazil is just to vulnerable and Israel knows it. And just for the record I think both Israel and Palestine are both guilty of doing terrible things and they both have valid complaints and points.

a reply to: MrSpad

Then this little soap opera should be worth watching and seeing if Brazil does cave to Israel or hold their position.

Lets be honest here, Brazil has no interest in actually fighting this appointment

Brazil is a full member state of Israel Allies Caucus,[11] a political advocacy organization that mobilizes pro-Israel parliamentarians in governments worldwide. Federal Deputy Fátima Pelaes, a representative for the state of Amapá in the Brazilian Parliament, serves as the Co-Chair for the Brazil Israel Allies Caucus.[12]

Brazil stands alongside Israel in the fight against Antisemitism. Brazil strictly condemns Antisemitism, and such act is an explicit violation of the law. According to Brazilian penal code it is illegal to write, edit, publish, or sell literature that promotes Antisemitism or racism.[13] The law provides penalties of up to five years in prison for crimes of racism or religious intolerance and enables courts to fine or imprison for two to five years anyone who displays, distributes, or broadcasts Antisemitic or racist material,[14] although Antisemitism in Brazil remains rare.[15] Also in 1989, the Brazilian Senate passed a law prohibiting the manufacture, trade and distribution of swastikas for the purpose of disseminating Nazism. Anyone who breaks that law is liable to serve a prison term from between two and five years.[16] (Law no. 7716 of 5 January 1989)

Also, in regards to its defense spending and acquisitions of Israeli military technology:

he two nations enjoy a degree of arms cooperation, with Brazil recently announcing that it was going to produce the Israeli-made TAR-21 Assault Rifle under license.[21]

Brazil is a key buyer of Israeli weapons and military technology. In addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts signed with Israeli manufacturer Elbit since 2000, the Brazilian Air Force signed a $90 million, five-year lease for 12 Kfir aircraft, and Rafael-manufactured Derby missiles were purchased in 2006. Most recently, Israel Aircraft Industries signed a $350 million contract in November 2009 to supply drones to the Brazilian police - the largest such deal ever between Israel and Brazil.[22]

In this regard however, it is Israel who is more vulnerable to a change in policy, as the drone technology can be provided by other countries like Russia, USA, Turkey, China, and Germany.

I am not really sure what the fuss is about with the Diplomat from a West Bank settlement, Brazil is a very staunch ally and even eliminates free speech in defense of the Israeli's, much like many European states. So not sure why they would have an about face on him being an illegal immigrant living on stolen land.

a reply to: namelesss

what why would you call him a bigot?? Whatd he say?? Israeli Jews are the biggest anti-Semites on Earth going by the way they treat their Arab Palestinian citizens. So in all fairness, it is Israeli Jews in policy and practice who represent the most bigotry of all. Probably even more so than the KKK.

a reply to: namelesss

Remember kids, if you even think about criticizing Israel you're a Nazi.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

Israeli Jews are the biggest anti-Semites on Earth going by the way they treat their Arab Palestinian citizens.

I think you are confused.
If you mean "Palestinians", then I see what you mean. Still wrong, as there are many people and communities in the world who are treated far worse than Palestinians, but you got a point.
If you mean "Israeli Arab citizens", then you are detached from reality. The Israeli Arab community lives in better conditions than any other Arabs in the middle east.

a reply to: MaxMech
Arabs and jews are both Semitic.

Sem·ite
[ˈsemīt]
NOUN

a member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs.

ORIGIN
from modern Latin Semita, via late Latin from Greek Sēm ‘Shem,’ son of Noah in the Bible, from whom these people were traditionally supposed to be descended.

Therefore mal-treatment of Arabs, aka most Palestinians are Arab, would also be antisemitism.
Civil Rights

While formally equal according to Israeli law, a number of official sources acknowledge that Arab citizens of Israel experience discrimination in many aspects of life. Israeli High Court Justice (Ret.) Theodor Or wrote in The Report by the State Commission of Inquiry into the Events of October 2000:[196]

The Arab citizens of Israel live in a reality in which they experience discrimination as Arabs. This inequality has been documented in a large number of professional surveys and studies, has been confirmed in court judgments and government resolutions, and has also found expression in reports by the state comptroller and in other official documents. Although the Jewish majority’s awareness of this discrimination is often quite low, it plays a central role in the sensibilities and attitudes of Arab citizens. This discrimination is widely accepted, both within the Arab sector and outside it, and by official assessments, as a chief cause of agitation.

According to the 2004 U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli government had done "little to reduce institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens".[197]

The 2004 U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices[197] notes that:

"Israeli-Arab advocacy organizations have challenged the Government's policy of demolishing illegal buildings in the Arab sector, and claimed that the Government was more restrictive in issuing building permits in Arab communities than in Jewish communities, thereby not accommodating natural growth."
"In June, the Supreme Court ruled that omitting Arab towns from specific government social and economic plans is discriminatory. This judgment builds on previous assessments of disadvantages suffered by Arab Israelis."
"Israeli-Arab organizations have challenged as discriminatory the 1996 "Master Plan for the Northern Areas of Israel," which listed as priority goals increasing the Galilee's Jewish population and blocking the territorial contiguity of Arab towns."
"Israeli Arabs were not required to perform mandatory military service and, in practice, only a small percentage of Israeli Arabs served in the military. Those who did not serve in the army had less access than other citizens to social and economic benefits for which military service was a prerequisite or an advantage, such as housing, new-household subsidies, and employment, especially government or security-related industrial employment. The Ivri Committee on National Service has issued official recommendations to the Government that Israel Arabs not be compelled to perform national or "civic" service, but be afforded an opportunity to perform such service"."
"According to a 2003 University of Haifa study, a tendency existed to impose heavier prison terms to Arab citizens than to Jewish citizens. Human rights advocates claimed that Arab citizens were more likely to be convicted of murder and to have been denied bail."
"The Orr Commission of Inquiry's report […] stated that the 'Government handling of the Arab sector has been primarily neglectful and discriminatory,' that the Government 'did not show sufficient sensitivity to the needs of the Arab population, and did not take enough action to allocate state resources in an equal manner.' As a result, 'serious distress prevailed in the Arab sector in various areas. Evidence of distress included poverty, unemployment, a shortage of land, serious problems in the education system, and substantially defective infrastructure.'"

The 2007 U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices[198] notes that:

"According to a 2005 study at Hebrew University, three times more money was invested in education of Jewish children as in Arab children."

Human Rights Watch has charged that cuts in veteran benefits and child allowances based on parents' military service discriminate against Arab children: "The cuts will also affect the children of Jewish ultra-orthodox parents who do not serve in the military, but they are eligible for extra subsidies, including educational supplements, not available to Palestinian Arab children."[199]

According to the Guardian, in 2006 just 5% of civil servants were Arabs, many of them hired to deal with other Arabs, despite the fact that Arab citizens of Israel comprise 20% of the population.[200]

Although the Bedouin infant mortality rate is still the highest in Israel, and one of the highest in the developed world, The Guardian reports that in the 2002 budget, Israel's health ministry allocated Arab communities less than 0.6% of its budget for healthcare facility development.[200]

In March 2010, a report released by several Israeli civil rights groups stated that the current Knesset was "the most racist in Israeli history" with 21 bills proposed in 2008 and 2009 that would discriminate against the country's Arab minority.[201]

A preliminary report commissioned by Israel’s Courts Administration and the Israel Bar Association found in 2011 that Israeli Arabs are more likely than Israeli Jews to be convicted of crimes after being charged, more likely to be given custodial sentences, and were given longer sentences. It did not account for "mitigating or aggravating circumstances, prior criminal record and the convict’s gender".[202]

I suppose if you call that having it good. They basically are treated by the entire Israeli government the way the American police treat dark skinned people.

Opposition to intermarriage

Intermarriage is prohibited by the Jewish Halakha.[225] In the case of mixed Arab-Jewish marriages, emotions run especially high. A 2007 opinion survey found that more than half of Israeli Jews believed intermarriage was equivalent to national treason. A group of Jewish men in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev started patrolling the neighborhood to stop Jewish women from dating Arab men. The municipality of Petah Tikva has also announced an initiative to providing a telephone hotline for friends and family to report Jewish girls who date Arab men as well as psychologists to provide counselling. The city of Kiryat Gat launched a campaign in schools to warn Jewish girls against dating local Bedouin men.

Oh yea man Arabs in Israel got it great. I mean look, they can freely seek relationships with their jewish counterparts, not.

Even if they have a better standard of living than their Ara neighbors, they still receive state sanctioned discrimination and rights violations. If you are in a Palestinian territory and not Jewish, you may as well be a dog to the State. That is the most serious antisemitism I have ever seen. I dont see a Jew anywhere in the world being treated like that. Crock o #.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

Like in every other country in the world, there is discrimination in Israel. Never said there isn't.
There is discrimination against different religions and against non religious people.
There is discrimination against people with different skin color.
There is discrimination against gays.
There is discrimination against women.
I don't know where you live, but I assure you that your country is no different. Every country in the world has discrimination.

They basically are treated by the entire Israeli government the way the American police treat dark skinned people.

Can't agree with you. Arabs have their own representation in the parliament. Not to long they were part of that government.
Even now, when a right wing government is in power, and the Arabs parties are in the opposition, there are still Arabs that are part of the current government.

I suppose if you call that having it good. They basically are treated by the entire Israeli government the way the American police treat dark skinned people.

1. This law wasn't changed since the Ottoman empire times. So this law was made by a Muslim government not a Jewish one.
2. Civil, interfaith and same-sex marriages entered into abroad are recognized by the state, which is a long way from every other country in the region.

Even if they have a better standard of living than their Ara neighbors, they still receive state sanctioned discrimination and rights violations.

What sanctioned discrimination? What rights violations?
Give a couple of examples.

If you are in a Palestinian territory and not Jewish, you may as well be a dog to the State.

Again, confusion. I don't understand what you mean. If you are in a Palestinian territory, you have the Palestinian government which you elected. Why would you expect Israel to care about you?

I just listed a entire page of examples, but you wont listen. You dont really want to admit, that by definition The Israelis are the biggest anti-semites in the world and it shows in their policies and in practice. The entire illegal settlers issue alone makes it quite obvious, especially when they constantly bulldoze the homes of innocent people as well as their agriculture land.

Oh look right here is an example I already listed:

"Israeli-Arab advocacy organizations have challenged the Government's policy of demolishing illegal buildings in the Arab sector, and claimed that the Government was more restrictive in issuing building permits in Arab communities than in Jewish communities, thereby not accommodating natural growth."

Not just restrictive, but outright refusal for any building permits.

According to the 2004 U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli government had done "little to reduce institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens".[197]

That is a textbook example of bigot and anti-Semitic actions right there. Again, just because the American police do it to black people, does not mean it suddenly ok for the Israeli government to do it to the Arab Semites .



constant harassment by Israeli terrorist settlers even in front of the soldiers. The Plaestinians, Chirstian and Muslim alike have to live as caged animals, literally with cages around their homes.
The only thing the Israeli state hates more than Palestinians, are others Jews that try and stand up for their rights, as this young American jew finds out the hard way.

More

There are no shortage of the documentation of the Israeli Antisemitism in play against the Arabs.

The same old lies dont work though, noone believes the Israeli terrorist apologists anymore. Why do you guys even keep trying??

a reply to: AmericanRealist

by definition The Israelis are the biggest anti-semites in the world

What is the "definition"?

Israeli-Arab advocacy organizations have challenged the Government's policy of demolishing illegal buildings in the Arab sector

There is a policy demolishing illegal buildings. Like in every other place in the world, don't see a problem with that.

and claimed that the Government was more restrictive in issuing building permits in Arab communities than in Jewish communities, thereby not accommodating natural growth."

Claims are fine, but facts are better. The reality is that the presentage of home owners was allways bigger in Iaraeli Arab cities than in any Jewish city -


Source< br />

According to the 2004 U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli government had done "little to reduce institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens".[197]

Again no actual example, only a report that states something. What is this institutional, legal, and societal discrimination?

Regarding the videos you posted - this discussion can't continue until you understand some basic facts about the region.
Israeli Arabs and Palestinians in the west bank or Gaza, are two different entities. Stop trying to cramp them into one group.
I actually agree with you on the settlements issue, and the need for a Palestinian state.

The same old lies dont work though, noone believes the Israeli terrorist apologists anymore. Why do you guys even keep trying??

What lies?
Am I an "Israeli terrorist apologist" now?

if you believe that Israel and Jewish settlers are NOT guilt of crimes against humanity, than yes you are in fact an Israel terrorist apologist.

Everyone with at least an 80 IQ should know that ANTI is simpy defined as "opposed to or against", and that Semite, again as I already listed but will do so again since there is alot of words up there

a member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs.

ORIGIN
from modern Latin Semita, via late Latin from Greek Sēm ‘Shem,’ son of Noah in the Bible, from whom these people were traditionally supposed to be descended.

Arabs are Semites, and Palestinian Arabs are the biggest target and victims of systematic and institutionalized prejudiced policies, thus making them anti-Semitic. Therefore, by definition as outlined by Oxford dictionary for the definition of Semite, and the definition of 'anti' , the State of Israel is the most anti-semitic entity.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

if you believe that Israel and Jewish settlers are NOT guilt of crimes against humanity, than yes you are in fact an Israel terrorist apologist.

I'm not a human rights expert but I'm pretty sure Israel did a couple of things that can fall under this definition. Never said it didn't.
Thing is, so is every other country in the world.
Tell me where you live and I'll show you how your country also committed crimes against humanity or at least supported these actions by other countries (which is basically the same). Then you will be able to call yourself a ...... terrorist apologist.

Everyone with at least an 80 IQ should know that ANTI is simpy defined as "opposed to or against", and that Semite, again as I already listed but will do so again since there is alot of words up there

Jesus.. you need to chill. No body is attacking you. We are just having a discussion.

Arabs are Semites, and Palestinian Arabs are the biggest target and victims of systematic and institutionalized prejudiced policies, thus making them anti-Semitic. Therefore, by definition as outlined by Oxford dictionary for the definition of Semite, and the definition of 'anti' , the State of Israel is the most anti-semitic entity.

I know the definition of "Anti-Semite". When I asked you "What is the "definition"?" I was asking you how do you decide who is the "most anti-semitic."
For example, all the Arabs killed by Israel in wars (including Palestinians) are not even a fraction of all the Arabs killed by other Arabs. Thus, if you are looking for the responsible for most Semite deaths, it's Arabs Muslims.
If you are talking about "victims of systematic and institutionalized prejudiced policies" then how about women in the Muslim world?
It's a group far larger than all the Palestinians in Israel, and it's treated like second class citizens by several Muslim governments, allowing their husbands to hit them and basically treat them as slaves. I would say Sharia law is far more anti-Semitic than Israel ever could be.

a reply to: MaxMech

here is the thing, I dont try to apologize for the USA crimes. I dont try and apologize for house of Saud crimes. I dont try to rationalize or justify the crimes of ISIS. Many many people try to rationalize the crimes of Israel by dehumanizing the Palestinian Semites. Or try and pretend they dont happen.

Your first line of defense was to ask me for examples of these Israeli crimes, maybe as if to infer they were baseless? I dont know. We all know their crimes. But more people try and apologize and/or justify the crimes of Israel, and it is typically done by dehumanizing their victims.

Good for Brazil! It is past time for the world to stop kissing Israel's ass.

WIth Brazil on this. The Settlers are Cultists who are land grabbing thieves, ignored and treated with a blind eye from Israel, who just sees them as "wacky religious people'.