Brazil's Bolsonaro Willing To Avoid Problems With Arab World Amid Embassy Relocation Plans

RIO DE JANEIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he did not want problems with the Arab world to emerge following his statement on the intentions to relocate the Brazilian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Bolsonaro, who has pledged to transfer the embassy during his election campaign, confirmed his plans on Thursday.

"Brazil is the nation where everyone peacefully co-exists and we do not want to have problems with anyone. We do not want to kick up dust that would worsen our relations with the whole world ... [The embassy relocation] is not a life or death issue. We treat both Israel and the Arab world with respect," Bolsonaro told a press conference in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

The president-elect also announced plans to relocate the Palestinian embassy in Brasilia from the current site, saying that it was located too close to the presidential palace.

The legal status of Jerusalem is the stumbling block in the Israeli-Palestinian settlement with the United Nations calling on member states to refrain from setting up diplomatic missions in the city until the issue of this status is resolved.

Despite that, in May, the United States transferred its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and Guatemala subsequently followed its example. These moves caused outrage in the Muslim world and provoked condemnation of the Palestinian authorities.

Bolsonaro, who was the presidential candidate of the right-wing Social Liberal Party, won the run-off on Sunday and will be sworn in in January.