Page 17 - TORCH Magazine #13 - April 2019

"...I think that we have now an opportunity together to bring a lot of light to the people of Brazil and the people of Israel. This is an alliance of brothers.”
NEWFOUND LOVE FOR ISRAEL
Bolsonaro isn’t the only Brazilian expressing his love for the Jewish state. His premiership, which began at the start of the year, comes at a time of renewed passion towards Israel among Christians in the South American country.
Last summer, two million Evangelical Christians waved Israel flags, cheered and prayed for Israel during an annual ‘March for Jesus’ in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Jewish officials attended, including Israel’s consul, Dori Goren, and local Jewish leadership.
“Attending the march is our way to express our gratitude for the Evangelical people and the Brazilian people,” said Goren, addressing the gathering from the stage. “The people of
Israel bless Brazil and the evangelical people of Brazil.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu also values the support of Christians in
Brazil. During his visit to Brazil in January 2019, in
which he and wife Sara attended Bolsonaro’s
inauguration ceremony, Netanyahu
said, “We have no better friends in the world than the Evangelical
community, and
the Evangelical community has no better friend in the world than the State of Israel.”
“You know that President Bolsonaro’s first name in Hebrew is Yair, which is also the name of our son,” said Netanyahu. “But Yair means something in Hebrew: he who brings light. And I think that we have now an opportunity together to bring a lot of light to the people
of Brazil and the people of Israel. This is an alliance of brothers.”
DEEPENING TIES
This renewed friendship between the countries was demonstrated only a couple of weeks later when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sent 130 soldiers and trained experts to Brazil for a search and rescue operation following a deadly mudslide.
Bilateral ties are also deepening with the two leaders having signed dozens of significant agreements in trade, security and defence, agriculture, tourism, aviation and science during Bolsonaro’s trip to Israel.
Whilst in Israel, the Brazilian president also announced the opening of a Brazilian trade office in Jerusalem, a first step towards the relocating of its embassy.
His stopping short of announcing a full embassy move was met with disappointment by some, but Bolsonaro has since clarified that he hasn’t changed his mind since his election campaign promise to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Bolsonaro, whose campaign slogan was “Brazil above everything, God above everyone”,
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