Brazil still refuses to accept an Israeli ambassador as he was a settler leader in the occupied West Bank, prompting Tel Aviv to threaten Brasilia of a downgrade in diplomatic relations.

Brasilia's decision to reject Dani Dayan four months after his appointment has angered Tel Aviv and prompted it to announce on Sunday that it would press on the left-leaning government in the South American country to accept Israeli envoy.

“The foreign ministry will use all the tools at its disposal to have Dani Dayan's appointment go through,” said Deputy Minister of Israel’s Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely, adding, Tel Aviv “will leave the level of diplomatic relations with Brazil at the secondary level if the appointment of Dani Dayan is not confirmed.” She also said that Dayan would remain Israel’s sole nominee.

The Israeli regime fears that other countries could follow suit and take a pro-Palestine measure.

? Israel-Brazil relations worsened on December 6, 2010, when Brasilia recognized Palestine as a sovereign state within the 1967 borders.

Brazil also recalled its ambassador to Israel on July 23, 2014, about two weeks after Tel Aviv launched its deadly offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of over 2,100 people by August 26 of the same year.

On July 24, 2014, Brasilia strongly condemned “the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip, from which large numbers of civilian casualties, including women and children resulted.”

Israel is facing increasing criticism over its settlement constructions in the Palestinian territories, which are illegal under international law.


By Press TV