Brazil opens Israeli trade office, pledges to move embassy to Jerusalem

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Brazil will move its embassy to Jerusalem in 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, said Sunday that during the opening of a Brazilian trade office in the Israeli capital.

The younger Bolsonaro, chairman of the Brazilian chamber of deputy's international affairs and defense committee, said his father's election commitment to move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem still stands, describing it as a clear choice.

"It's not something extraordinary. It's supposed to be a natural and normal thing," he said. "We want to move to Jerusalem not just for Brazil, but to set an example for all of Latin America."

Brazil would join the United States and Guatemala, which have already moved their embassies to Jerusalem, and Honduras, which has also pledged to do so.

Bolsonaro also pledged to "fight terrorism together" with Israel, saying the country would recognize the Islamic group Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

"If we do not move the embassy to Jerusalem, if the terrorists think that they can threaten us, it will be a shame on us. If you want to avoid a terrorist attack, you have to show power," he said.

Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the relationship between the two countries while noting Israeli disaster relief efforts in Brazil.

"We have no better friends than the people and government of Brazil," he said. "Israel will always be there for the citizens of Brazil."

Netanyahu added that the trade office for Apex-Brazil, a Brazilian trade and investment promotion agency, will help the two countries "realize the potential" for cooperation between them.

"Israel is the most dynamic, innovative country in the world ... if we manage our country's potential with Brazil's potential, we can help one another extraordinarily."