Brazil has announced its withdrawal from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, where it held observer status, citing legal limitations and concerns linked to the war in Gaza.
The decision was delivered in a diplomatic letter to the IHRA’s headquarters in Berlin. Brazilian officials said they were unable to pay membership dues due to legal constraints and referenced an opinion from the Foreign Ministry’s legal adviser and a recommendation from U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Francesca Albanese. While the letter stopped short of directly blaming Israel’s war in Gaza, officials drew a clear link between Holocaust remembrance and the current conflict.
The announcement stunned Israeli officials and IHRA leaders. Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem and current president of the IHRA, called it unprecedented.
“This is the first time a Western country subordinates Holocaust remembrance to political considerations,” Dayan said. “It’s a serious crossing of a red line. Brazil is essentially withdrawing from the international community’s commitment to Holocaust memory.”
In an urgent letter to Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, IHRA leadership expressed alarm. “The justifications provided—the legal opinion of Brazil’s Foreign Ministry and the UN rapporteur’s recommendation—raise serious concerns that require urgent clarification,” they wrote.
IHRA emphasized its mission is rooted in post-World War II international consensus and reinforced by numerous U.N. declarations. The organization works to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, promote education and commemoration, and combat Holocaust denial and antisemitism.
“Implying that IHRA’s work contradicts human rights standards or legal principles is baseless and could undermine the global commitment to ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never repeated,” the group said.
IHRA leaders urged Brazil to clarify its concerns and offered to address them through direct dialogue. They noted that Brazil had been a valued partner in efforts to fight antisemitism and preserve Holocaust memory and expressed hope the withdrawal does not reflect a broader shift.
The IHRA includes 35 member states, nine observer countries, and nine international organizations. Other nations critical of Israeli policy, including Norway and Ireland, remain active members.
