Israel's statements on Brazil's Lula are unacceptable, says foreign minister

The diplomatic spat between Brazil and Israel entered a third day on Tuesday, with Brazil's foreign minister calling Israel's response to comments made by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the Gaza Strip "unacceptable" and "untruthful."

After Lula on Sunday compared Israel's war on Gaza to Hitler's treatment of Jews, Israel said on Monday that Lula is not welcome in the Middle Eastern country until he takes back the comments.

On Tuesday, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira hit back at Israel."For a foreign ministry to address a head of state from a friendly country in this way is unusual and revolting," Vieira told Reuters and another news agency at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Reporting by Reuters