Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visited Jerusalem's Western Wall on Monday as the Palestinians considered recalling their ambassador in Brasília over a new trade mission to Israel in the holy city.
Brazil on Sunday opened a new trade mission to Israel in the city, edging back from earlier signals it would follow the United States with a full embassy move.
Bolsonaro, on a four-day trip to Israel, and Netanyahu approached the wall together and leaned side by side against its massive stones. Bolsonaro placed a prayer note in between the stones, as is customary.
Bolsonaro's original proposal to move Brazil's embassy to Jerusalem angered the Muslim world, and senior Brazilian officials backed away from it for fear of damaging ties with Arab countries and jeopardizing billions of dollars in Brazilian halal meat exports.
Presidential spokesman Otávio Rêgo Barros said on Sunday the trade mission would not be a diplomatic representation, but the move angered the Palestinians.
Palestinian Ambassador in Brasília Ibrahim Alzeban told Reuters that he may be recalled, although a response was still under consideration.
"From what I was told, it will depend on how [Bolsonaro's] visit evolves," Alzeban said. "We wish that the subject of Jerusalem had not been touched upon."
Alzeban said the Palestinians were also upset because Bolsonaro did not consider a visit to the Palestinian territories and did not coordinate his trip with Palestinian authorities.
Netanyahu has said he hopes Brazil's Jerusalem trade office is a step toward moving the embassy to the city.
"There is no recognition of Jerusalem as the capital," Brazilian presidential spokesman Barros said. "Our president continues to evaluate this possibility [of moving the embassy] but that is not what we decided at this time."
