Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he plans to move the country's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

"As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," Bolsonaro tweeted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Bolsonaro's plan.

"I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step," Netanyahu said in a statement.

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Controversial move

If Bolsonaro honors his campaign pledge, Brazil would become the third country after the United States and Guatemala to have an embassy in Jerusalem.

Paraguay also briefly shifted its embassy to Jerusalem, but moved it back to Tel Aviv following the election of its new president, Mario Abdo Benitez.

The Palestinians regard the eastern sector of Jerusalem — which Israel annexed in the 1967 Middle East war — as the capital of a future Palestine state. Israel claims the entire city, including the eastern sector where key holy sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews are located, as its capital.

Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations.

Some Brazilians have raised concerns about Bolsonaro's plan, saying it would hurt Brazil's relations with Muslim nations.

ap/bw (AP, AFP)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said Thursday that he plans to move Brazil’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, joining the United States and Guatemala.

In a tweet Thursday, Bolsonaro said: “As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that.”

It was the first time since being elected Sunday that Bolsonaro referred to his plan to move the embassy.

In Israel, Netanyahu issued a statement praising Bolsonaro. “I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step!”

Netanyahu spoke to Bolsonaro earlier this week, congratulating him on his victory and inviting him to visit Israel.

If Bolsonaro follows through on his pledge, Brazil would become the third country to have an embassy in Jerusalem, after the US and Guatemala. Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to Jerusalem as well, only to move it back to Tel Aviv after its new president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected.

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as the capital of a future state. Israel claims all of the city, including the eastern sector, home to Jerusalem’s most important religious sites, as its eternal capital.

Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations.

Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea, saying it would hurt Brazil’s relations with Muslim nations.

Former Brazilian Ambassador to the US Rubens Barbosa has warned that such a move could hurt Brazil’s poultry exports. He says that Brazil “would be throwing away US$6 billion per year in poultry sales to Arab countries.”</s>Brazil's far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro confirmed on Thursday the country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, making the Latin American country the largest after the United States to make the controversial switch.

The move from Tel Aviv, which would be defiance of the wishes of Palestinians and the geopolitical view of the region held by most of the rest of the world, is the latest controversial announcement by the former army captain, who has wasted no time in implementing his hardline conservative agenda since his election win on Sunday.

"As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," Mr Bolsonaro tweeted.

The move squarely aligns Mr Bolsonaro with US President Donald Trump, and bolsters his image as a "Tropical Trump."

Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.</s>SAO PAULO (AP) - President-elect Jair Bolsonaro reiterated Thursday that he plans to move Brazil's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, joining the United States and Guatemala.

In a tweet Thursday, Bolsonaro said: "As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that."

It was the first time since being elected Sunday that Bolsonaro referred to his plan to move the embassy.

In Israel, Netanyahu issued a statement praising Bolsonaro. "I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step!"

Netanyahu spoke to Bolsonaro earlier this week, congratulating him on his victory and inviting him to visit Israel.

Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro waves at supporters as he arrives to watch an aerial performance by the private pilots' group "Esquadrilha do Ceu" or "Sky Squadron", at Barra beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. Bolsonaro appeared in public Tuesday for the first time as president-elect. He visited a church led by ultraconservative pastor Silas Malafaia and spoke briefly to the faithful on stage. "I am sure that I am not the most capable, but God capacitates the chosen ones," he said. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

If Bolsonaro follows through on his pledge, Brazil would become the third country to have an embassy in Jerusalem, after the U.S. and Guatemala. Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to Jerusalem as well, only to move it back to Tel Aviv after its new president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected.

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as the capital of a future state. Israel claims all of the city, including the eastern sector, home to Jerusalem's most important religious sites, as its eternal capital.

Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations.

Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea, saying it would hurt Brazil's relations with Muslim nations.

Former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. Rubens Barbosa has warned that such a move could hurt Brazil's poultry exports. He says that Brazil "would be throwing away $6 billion per year in poultry sales to Arab countries."</s>RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazil will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday (Nov 1), making the Latin American giant the largest country after the United States to make the controversial switch.

"As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," Bolsonaro tweeted, a move that will defy Palestinians and most of the world.

In interviews, Bolsonaro said Israel should have the right to decide where its capital is located, just as Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960.

Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, with international consensus being that the status of the whole city must be negotiated between the two sides.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

In December, President Donald Trump reversed longstanding US policy and recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, prompting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to boycott his administration.

The embassy was officially transferred on May 14. Guatemala and Paraguay followed suit, though the latter announced last month it would return its embassy to Tel Aviv.

Bolsonaro, 63, who won a run-off election on Sunday, has outraged many with his overtly misogynistic, homophobic and racist rhetoric.

Following his victory, Netanyahu told Bolsonaro he was certain his election "will lead to a great friendship between our peoples and the tightening of links between Brazil and Israel." An official in Netanyahu's office told AFP the Israeli premier was "very likely" to attend Bolsonaro's inauguration ceremony in January.

Bolsonaro meanwhile plans to make Israel one of his first foreign trips as president, along with the United States and Chile - countries that "share our world view," according to the president-elect's future for chief of staff, Onyx Lorenzoni.</s>Jair Bolsonaro, President-elect of Brazil, has vowed to move the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Bolsonaro made the vow yesterday via his official Twitter handle.

Moving Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will make Brazil the largest country after the United States to make the switch.

“As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that,” he said.

Recall that in December, 2017, President Donald Trump of the United States of America recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

The United States officially moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14.

Other countries that followed in the move were Guatemala and Paraguay.

However, Paraguay announced in October 2018 that it would return its embassy to Tel Aviv.</s>Brazil's President-elect, Jair Bolsonaro, confirmed Thursday that he intends to move his country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," he wrote in a Facebook post.

If Bolsonaro keeps this campaign promise, Brazil will be the third country to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, after the United States and Guatemala.

Bolsonaro was elected as Brazil's next president on Oct.28 and plans to take office on Jan. 1.

President Donald Trump congratulated Bolsonaro on his win on Twitter this week.

"Had a very good conversation with the newly elected President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, who won his race by a substantial margin. We agreed that Brazil and the United States will work closely together on Trade, Military and everything else! Excellent call, wished him congrats!" Trump tweeted.</s>President-elect says Brazil to move embassy to Jerusalem

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro is reiterating that he plans to move Brazil's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, joining the United States and Guatemala.

In a tweet Thursday, Bolsonaro said: "As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that."

It was the first time since being elected Sunday that Bolsonaro has referred to his plan to move the embassy.

Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea.

Former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. Rubens Barbosa has warned that such a move could hurt Brazil's poultry exports. He says that Brazil "would be throwing away $6 billion per year in poultry sales to Arab countries."</s>Brazil will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the country's incoming far-right president has announced.

The move will make Brazil the most prominent country after the United States to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital, after Donald Trump moved the U.S. embassy earlier this year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the plan, which Bolsonaro had promised during the election campaign.

Netanyahu, who has called Bolsonaro his 'friend' and invited him to visit Israel, called it a 'historic, correct and exciting step'.

A polarising judge who jailed former President Luiz Inacio de Silva - knocking 'Lula' out of this year's election - has been named Brazil's new justice minister. Sergio Moro is wildly popular among conservatives and loathed by many on the left. After meeting Bolsonaro in Rio de Janeiro he promised to 'implement a strong agenda of anti-corruption and anti-organized crime'. As a judge he was at the centre of the sprawling 'Car Wash' investigation, one of the largest corruption probes in history. The investigation uncovered the large-scale looting of state oil company Petrobras. But many on the left felt the probe which brought down ex-President Lula was politically motivated. Polls suggested Lula would have beaten Bolsonaro in the election had the ex-president not been jailed 12 years for corruption.

In a tweet yesterday Bolsonaro said: 'As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.

'Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that.'

It was the first time since his election victory on Sunday that Bolsonaro referred to his plan to move the embassy.

Netanyahu issued a statement saying: 'I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step!'

If Bolsonaro follows through on his pledge, Brazil would become the third country to have an embassy in Jerusalem, after the U.S. and Guatemala.

Trump broke with decades of precedent in December when he declared Jerusalem Israel's capital and announced the embassy would move there.

Palestinian leaders cut off contact with Trump's White House following the declaration.

Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to Jerusalem only to move it back to Tel Aviv after its new president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected.

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, as the capital of a future state.

Israel claims all of the city, including the eastern sector, home to Jerusalem's most important religious sites, as its eternal capital.

Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations.

Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea, saying it would hurt Brazil's relations with Muslim nations.

Former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. Rubens Barbosa has warned that such a move could hurt Brazil's poultry exports.

Brazil 'would be throwing away $6 billion per year in poultry sales to Arab countries' by making the move, he said.

Bolsonaro has outraged many with his derogatory comments against women, gay people and blacks, and his support for the torture used by Brazil's brutal military regime which ruled from 1964 to 1985.</s>It was the first time since being elected on Sunday that Bolsonaro had referred to his plan to move the embassy. President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has pledged to follow the US in moving Brazil's Israel embassy to Jerusalem. In Israel, Netanyahu issued a statement praising Bolsonaro. "I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step!" Netanyahu spoke to Bolsonaro earlier this week, congratulating him on his victory and inviting him to visit Israel. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison raised the possibility of making a similar move in the run-up to the Wentworth by-election.

If Bolsonaro follows through on his pledge, Brazil would become the third country to have an embassy in Jerusalem, after the US and Guatemala. Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to Jerusalem as well, only to move it back to Tel Aviv after its new president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mid-east war, as the capital of a future state. Israel claims all of the city, including the eastern sector, home to Jerusalem's most important religious sites, as its eternal capital. Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations. Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea, saying it would hurt Brazil's relations with Muslim nations.

A former Brazilian Ambassador to the US, Rubens Barbosa, has warned that such a move could hurt Brazil's poultry exports. He says that Brazil "would be throwing away $US6 billion per year in poultry sales to Arab countries".
The president-elect of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, states that he will honor his campaign pledge to move the country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.