The United States on Tuesday disapproved of Brazilian President Lula’s comments comparing Israel’s war in Gaza to the Holocaust, as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visits Brazil on a tour of South America, AFP reported.

“Of course, we do not agree with these statements. We have made it very clear that we do not believe in the genocide that is taking place in Gaza,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva caused a storm on Sunday when he accused Israel of committing “genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, comparing the Israeli offensive to the extermination of the Jews by the Nazis.

Following these statements, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced on Monday that Lula is persona non grata in Israel.

“I told President Lulu that he is persona non grata in Israel until he apologizes and retracts his comments,” Katz said during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, where he summoned Brazil’s ambassador to Israel.

“Brazilian President Lula’s comments comparing the State of Israel’s just war against Hamas, which killed and exterminated Jews, to Hitler and the Nazis are a disgrace and a serious anti-Semitic attack on the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Katz said. added to the ceremony with the participation of AFP.

In response, Brazil’s foreign minister summoned Israel’s ambassador to Brazil on Monday.

“Given the seriousness of the Israeli government’s statements this morning, Minister Mauro Vieira (…) summoned Israel’s ambassador, Daniel Zonshin,” to Rio de Janeiro, according to a press release from the Brazilian ministry.

He also “recalled for consultations the ambassador of Brazil in Tel Aviv, Frederico Mayer, who will leave for Brazil tomorrow (Tuesday).”