Brazil investigates strife between Israeli tourists and pro-Palestine residents

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Arguments between Israeli tourists and pro-Palestinian residents over a historic colonial house and a viral report of sexual harassment in Brazil’s Bahia state have snowballed into a controversy entangling local, state and federal authorities.

Police are investigating the latest incidents, which represent an escalation in tensions between Israeli tourists and local Brazilians who identify with the Palestinian cause, in yet another episode of the Middle Eastern conflict echoing far beyond the region.

Bahia Gov. Jerônimo Rodrigues, an ally of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , made a trip earlier this week to the beach city of Itacare where one of the incidents occurred and met with local authorities and security forces.

“Tourists, from wherever they are from, will always be treated well,” Rodrigues said in a video posted on Instagram Tuesday. “But we also want respect for Itacare and the people of Bahia,” Rodrigues said, adding that he was in touch with the foreign affairs, tourist and justice ministries.

Israelis often travel after their obligatory military service, which means many are likely to have participated in the war in Gaza which started on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Since then, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 74,600 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Itacare, a city of around 30,000 residents, has become a travel spot for former Israeli soldiers. Earlier this year, three Israeli tourists were detained after clashing with pro-Palestinian residents also in Itacare.

At the heart of the latest controversy in the beachside city is a blue, colonial-style house that was rented by an Israeli and functioned as a synagogue and gathering place for Jewish and Israeli travelers in the area.

Earlier this year, the owner decided not to renew the contract, said 21-year-old Rabbi Nehorai Yitzhak Tamsit, who rented the place and has been living in Itacare for the last two years. “We tried to resolve the situation peacefully, including through lawyers, but eventually decided to leave rather than prolong the conflict,” he said.

Pro-Palestinian activist Mariá Veiga asked the owner of the house to draw a watermelon – a symbol of Palestinian support – on the side of the house after the group’s departure, a request that was granted, Veiga said. The watermelon turned into a mural. "Other artists arrived and wanted to contribute,” Veiga said, with some adding phrases such as “ From the river to the sea ”, “Brazil Indigenous territory” and the Bahia state flag.

Footage of a confrontation outside the house was widely shared, with a woman accusing a group of people in traditional Jewish attire of wanting to remove the murals and telling them to leave.

In another viral video, Carolina Carvalho, 33, who works in advertising, said she had reported an incident to police after an Israeli tourist in Salvador, Bahia’s capital, sexually harassed her.

“I had a lot of rage ..., a lot of indignation, and once the situation had passed, a lot of anxiety. I’m having anxiety attacks, also because the person hasn’t been identified,” Carvalho said.

The two high-profile cases prompted avid discussion online from both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian accounts.

“There are Israeli tourists who behave badly and others that behave well. They are people, but the process of dehumanization removes individuality from Israelis,” the Brazil Israel Institute said in a statement during the aftermath.

Lawmaker Erika Hilton, known for her role in reducing Brazil’s working week , said she had asked Brazil’s foreign ministry to consider banning soldiers from Israel and any other country accused of war crimes by international bodies.

Brazil shouldn't allow such soldiers to “do whatever they please on our territory, terrorizing Brazilian women,” she said.

Authorities in Bahia are investigating the incidents and other reports of hostilities between tourists and residents. After a meeting Wednesday among activists and state officials, the state government said it would reinforce police in touristic areas, while also announcing initiatives to raise awareness and combat discrimination.

Bahia's government said it wants “respectful coexistence between residents and visitors.”

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