(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Wednesday, 3 June 2015) met with Brazilian Chamber of Deputies President Eduardo Cunha and told him at the start of their meeting:
 
"We wanted very much to join you last year in the Mundial. We didn’t make it. Now, they’re trying to prevent us from coming to the next Mundial on the basis of mixing politics with sport and singling out Israel. It’s not right, it’s not just and it would destroy the Olympics really, which is what we’re concerned with. We’re sure that fair minded people around the world will reject this bad, bad step."
 
Brazilian Chamber of Deputies President Cunha said: "We share in your idea that sport should not be divisive and should not be politicized; rather, it should bring people together. Debates need not be held on the playing field. The competitions were created so that we can escape the political debate. Trust us that we favor this direction."