Egypt has postponed a visit by Brazil's top diplomat, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Diplomatic sources said decision followed President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's vow to relocate the Brazilian Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira had been set to fly to Cairo for a three-day visit from Nov. 8 to 11 that was to have included meetings with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
But Cairo postponed the trip, citing problems with senior officials' agendas, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said Monday. Ministry insiders said no new date has been proposed, signaling Egypt's discontent with Bolsonaro's proposal.
Behind the scenes, Egyptian officials said Cairo was deeply displeased with Bolsonaro's promise, which breaks with longstanding Brazilian foreign policy in support of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
The Egyptian Embassy in Brasilia was unavailable for comment.
Bolsonaro's promise to relocate the Brazilian Embassy follows the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in May, after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized the city as the Israeli capital.
Qatar also denounced Bolsonaro's decision.
A statement by the Qatari Foreign Ministry urged Bolsonaro to change his mind, saying that moving the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem "goes against international consensus" and the fate of the holy city must be decided as part of a comprehensive peace agreement.
