Minister remarks reducing Gaza genocide to an ‘ideological issue’ cause outrage among Palestinians in Brazil

Brasil de Fato

The Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (FEPAL) strongly refuted on Wednesday (9) the statements made by the Defense Minister the previous day. José Múcio Monteiro said on Tuesday (8) that the Lula government’s reaction to the massacre being committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip was an “ideological issue” that hinders his work.  

“The diplomatic issue interferes with Defense. There has now been a competition, a tender. The Jews, the people of Israel, won, but because of the war, Hamas, and the political groups, we have this tender ready to go, but for ideological reasons, we can’t approve it. The Federal Court of Accounts (TCU, in Portuguese) didn’t allow us to give it to the second-placed bidder, and we’re waiting for these issues to end to defend ourselves,” said Monteiro at an event in São Paulo.   

The minister was referring to the cancellation of the purchase by the Brazilian Armed Forces of howitzers – artillery launchers – from the Israeli company Elbit Systems in retaliation for the Palestinian genocide.   

In a statement, FEPAL said that Monteiro “deserves to be studied” and that “an investigation for the crime of genocide at the International Court of Justice confronts the minister’s impertinence. The accusatory petition, which has been admitted, comes from South Africa with formal support from the Brazilian state.”  

“Since March 28, a UN Security Council order for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire has been placed. However, Israel has not complied, and since then, they have killed at least 20,000 Palestinian civilians,” the statement continues.  

The Palestinian Arab Federation argues that “according to the UN, in this one year of genocide, the destruction in Gaza may be around 90%, almost the entire territory, something unprecedented in history, far surpassing the most destroyed European cities in six years of World War II.”  

“It is also the first time in the history of wars and genocides that 100% of a population has been declared in famine, and the displacement and death of more than 90% of a demographic attacked by an external aggressor is unprecedented.”  

At Tuesday’s event, Lula’s minister criticized the protection guaranteed to Indigenous Lands. Monteiro lamented the ban on mining potassium in these areas.  

“We import potassium from Canada, when we have the second-largest potassium reserve here. But for ideological reasons, the Constitution provides for it, but since it’s under Indigenous land, we can’t exploit our potassium,” he said.  

Monteiro also ironically joked that Brazilian society misunderstands his job. In a speech that conveyed annoyance, the minister seemed sincere when he said he didn’t understand why the ministry was criticized.  

“The Ministry of Defense, the name of Defense, is not because we constantly defend the country. We defend ourselves from society, the press, politicians, and governments due to the absolute ignorance of what the Ministry of Defense is and the defense industry in Brazil.”