Guilherme Boulos is a preliminary candidate for mayor of São Paulo
Photo: Taba Benedicto/Estadão / Estadão
BRASILIA Former São Paulo Health Minister Jean Gorinchteyn left the Guilherme Boulos (PSOL) primary campaign for city hall in the capital of São Paulo due to the MP’s stance on the Hamas terrorist group’s attack in southern Israel.
Gorinchteyn, a Jew, headed the João Doria government’s state health department during the fight against the Covid19 pandemic and coordinated the PSOL precandidate health program in the capital São Paulo.
The former minister criticized Boulos for not explicitly condemning Hamas after the attack. “With this action, I reaffirm my commitment as a Jew to support the State of Israel and to respect the victims and their families. It is imperative to condemn and reject terrorist attacks against civilians anywhere in the world,” Gorinchteyn said in a statement posted on Instagram.
This Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declared that the country was officially at war. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health, the death toll in the country is now 700. In Gaza, however, figures from local authorities indicate around 400 deaths.
On Saturday 7, Jean Gorinchteyn released a video in which he spoke about the situation in Israel. “We have a duty as a civil society to take a stand against this absurdity,” he said.
The episode was used by Boulos’ opponents to criticize the MP. Pictures of Boulos with messages of support for the Palestinian woman were posted on social media. On social media, he reiterated his defense of the rights of the Palestinian people and condemned “violent attacks on civilians.”
Boulos classified the use of the images as fake news. “My defense of the rights of the Palestinian people is public. I even visited the West Bank in 2018, where the Bolsonarists use images to spread fake news. “Now I unequivocally condemn violent attacks on civilians, such as those that have killed 250 Israelis and 232 Palestinians in the last few hours,” the lawmaker wrote.
My defense of the rights of the Palestinian people is public. I even visited the West Bank in 2018, where the Bolsonarists use images to spread fake news.
Now I unhesitatingly condemn violent attacks on civilians like those who killed in…
— Guilherme Boulos (@GuilhermeBoulos)
October 8, 2023
As Coluna do Estadão showed, Hamas’ attacks on Israel have revived the shootout on social media between Bolsonaro supporters and allies of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“Out of respect and admiration for the Israeli people, I reject the terrorist attack by Hamas, the terrorist group that congratulated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva when the TSE announced the winner of the 2022 elections,” said former President Jair Bolsonaro.
On Saturday, Lula said he was “shocked by the terrorist attacks” by Hamas against Israel. The president expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and said he opposed terrorism “in any form.”