Israel Could Be Left Without an Ambassador or Consul in Brazil

The diplomatic crisis between Israel and Brazil is intensifying. After Brazilian President Lula da Silva refused to approve the appointment of Galit Dagan as Israel’s ambassador to the country, the authorities are also unwilling to approve the appointment of Vivian Eisen as Israel’s consul general in Sao Paulo, a post approved by the government in February, according to ynet.

This means that when the current consul general in Sao Paulo, Rafi Erdreich, returns to Israel soon at the end of his term, Israel will have neither an ambassador in Brasilia nor a consul general, since the consulate in Sao Paulo is Israel’s only consular representation in the country. Relations will therefore be handled by relatively junior diplomats. Erdreich is due to complete a five-year term soon, after the Foreign Ministry already extended his service by a year so Israel would not be left without a mission chief amid the worsening crisis between the two countries. Now that his posting has ended and he is required to return to Israel, the government has appointed a replacement, but Brazil, as noted, is refusing to approve her arrival.

Israel’s embassy in Brasilia is currently headed by its number two, Rahel Otmani, who made history in 2017 when she became the first Muslim accepted into the prestigious cadet course of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and later served as a diplomat.

Andre Leist, CEO of StandWithUs Brasil, a pro-Israel organization in Brazil that works to strengthen ties between the two countries and improve Israel’s image in Brazil, said: "This is another low point in the relations, and it is not good for Brazil or Israel, nor for the Jewish community. I hope that in both countries they are working to improve relations between the countries as soon as possible."