Brazil has delayed a contract with Israeli company Elbit Systems for 36 howitzers, originally signed in April, amid deliberations by the Brazilian government over Israel’s war against Hamas.
The contract involves importing 36 ATMOS 2000 self-propelled howitzers, known for their range and precision.
Despite Brazilian President Lula da Silva publicly criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza on several occasions, the order has not been formally canceled, only paused.
“President da Silva has signed no executive order, neither to cancel the procurement of ATMOS 2000 nor for reopening the tender to select and negotiate another solution,” sources in Brasilia told Defense News on condition of anonymity.
Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, won the $210 million contract after a competitive tender process for Brazil’s armored self-propelled howitzer program.
Delay in May
In May, Brazil’s Defense Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro postponed signing the procurement contract for 60 days, reported the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.
The suspension came after human rights groups sent a letter to the Brazilian government calling for an arms trade embargo with Israel.
The signatories urged the need for “the Brazilian government to stop the ongoing offensive and mobilize the international system to take collective measures within international humanitarian and other international laws.”
Shifting Brazil-Israel Relations
Brazil and Israel share a long diplomatic history. Brazil presided over the United Nations General Assembly during Israel’s founding in 1947 and is home to the 10th largest Jewish population in the world.
The South American country maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv and an honorary consulate in Haifa, while Israel has an embassy in Brasilia and a consulate-general in São Paulo.
However, relations deteriorated significantly after October 7 last year.
“After the act of terrorism provoked by Hamas, the consequences, the solution of the state of Israel, is as grave as that of Hamas,” said da Silva at a ceremony for Brazilians evacuated from Gaza, as reported by France24 last November.
In February, Israel declared da Silva persona non grata after he described Israel’s war on Gaza as genocide during a speech.
The two countries have traded military supplies for decades. In 2023 alone, Brazil imported $17.1 million worth of arms and ammunition from Israel, while Brazilian exports to Tel Aviv totaled $4.47 million.
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