Lula, Blinken meet following Israel controversy

BRASILIA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday discussed the Gaza crisis, among other things.

"President Lula reaffirmed his wish for peace and an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip," the Brazilian presidential office said in a statement after the meeting. "Both agreed on the need for the creation of a Palestinian State."

On Feb. 18, Lula da Silva compared Israel's attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip to the massacre of Jews by Nazis during World War II, igniting a diplomatic scuffle between the two countries.

His remarks were widely reported, leading Israel to declare Lula da Silva "persona non grata (a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome)" until he retracted his statement. Brazil's president, meanwhile, recalled his ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultation.

After meeting with Brazil's president, Blinken traveled to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers from the G20.