The Brazilian Army decided to purchase 36 armored combat vehicles, known as howitzers, from the Israeli Elbit Systems, one of the largest manufacturers of weapons and military systems in Israel.
The artifacts manufactured by the company are used by the Israeli government to bomb Palestine, in an offensive that has resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
The purchase of weapons should total almost R$1 billion. In the bidding process, the Israeli company was preferred among companies from France, China and Slovakia.
The reason for the choice is the existence of Brazilian subsidiaries of Elbit, which could guarantee the supply of ammunition and logistical support. The information is from the newspapers Folha de S.Paulo It is State of S. Paulo.
Brazil is accused of arms embargo
BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), a global movement that articulates the economic boycott of the State of Israel, defends a “total embargo” of arms on Israel, just as Gustavo Petro’s Colombia did.
“Brazil is becoming a fierce accomplice in indirectly financing the Israeli genocide through these contracts,” said Andressa Soares, from the BDS movement.
Representative Fernanda Melchionna (Psol-RS) declared to the Brazil in fact that the purchase of Israeli weapons causes Brazil to “strengthen the Zionist war machine” and contradicts the position of Brazilian diplomacy.
“It is no use just condemning the massacre against the Palestinian people in speeches, concrete actions are needed, such as the breaking of all trade agreements, which is what we have been demanding since the beginning of the genocide,” said Melchionna.
At the end of February, Lula (PT) called the Israeli operation in Palestine “genocide” and was therefore declared “persona non grata” in Israel by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz.
O Brazil in fact contacted the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. If there are answers, the report will be updated.
“Genocide” is good business
Elbit declared to the international press that it increased sales after Israel’s offensive in Palestine that began in October 2023. According to the company, arms orders rose to 17.8 billion dollars last year, after totaling 15.1 billion dollars in 2022.
This is not the first time that the Brazilian Armed Forces have signed million-dollar contracts with Israeli weapons manufacturers. In March of this year, Fernanda Melchionna questioned a contract between the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), one of the world’s giants in aircraft manufacturing.
The FAB hired the company to maintain two surveillance drones. The total cost was R$86.1 million, which did not go through bidding.
Elbit drone killed volunteers in Gaza, says organization
The Action Center for Corporate Accountability, a North American organization that exposes companies profiting from wars, claims that both companies – Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems – provide technology for Israeli forces to attack Palestine .
According to the Action Center for Corporate Accountability, Elbit is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. The organization claims that a drone produced by the company was responsible for the bombing that killed seven aid workers in Gaza from the World Central Kitchen, which distributed food to Palestinians.
Andressa Soares, from the BDS movement, demanded a position from President Lula (PT). “We know that this stance [de comprar armas israelenses] It’s not necessarily coming from the president’s office, but we need the president, as head of state, to take a stand against these hires”, he said.
Editing: Nicolau Soares
