eHalal Palestine
🇧🇷 Brazilian Government Challenges Israeli Claim of Foiled Hezbollah Attack
In a developing international incident, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad played a pivotal role in preventing a Hezbollah terrorist attack in Brazil. However, this claim faces contradiction from Brazilian Justice Minister Flávio Dino.
Dino cautions against premature conclusions and discourages foreign governments from exploiting the ongoing investigation for their political gains. In a social media post, he labeled the notion of a Hezbollah plot to target Jews in Brazil as a mere “hypothesis,” underscoring the principle that no foreign authority should preempt the investigative outcome.
Without directly mentioning Israel, Dino emphasized the value of international cooperation but strongly opposed any foreign authority attempting to influence Brazilian investigations for political purposes.
Netanyahu’s statement implicated Hezbollah, supported by Iran, in a plot against Brazil, claiming that Mossad aided in thwarting the attack. He contextualized this in the broader scenario of conflicts involving Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian regime, alleging their global operations targeting Israeli, Jewish, and Western interests.
Minister Dino clarified that Brazil initiated the investigation before recent international conflicts and stressed the need for impartiality. The Brazilian Federal Police echoed this sentiment, asserting national responsibility for the investigation and committing to base their actions on factual findings rather than external expectations.
Dubbed “Operation Trapiche,” the police executed multiple search and seizure warrants and preliminary arrest warrants, focusing on alleged attempts to recruit individuals for extremist activities within the country.
A report from Agencia Brasil indicated that the FBI provided a tip-off about the suspects, citing potential connections to the Hezbollah movement. This collaboration raised questions about the extent of international involvement in the ongoing investigation.
Tensions escalated further with remarks from Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Zonshine, who claimed that Hezbollah’s interest in Brazil was due to local support. Brazil’s Federal Police chief, Andrei Rodrigues, rebuked Zonshine’s comments as “disrespectful.”
As the situation unfolds, Brazil remains steadfast in asserting its jurisdiction over the investigation, emphasizing adherence to the facts and impartiality, despite conflicting narratives from international sources.