President Bolsonaro 'wants to' move Brazil's Israel embassy to Jerusalem

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro is keen to move his country's embassy in Israel to the contested city of Jerusalem, a leading official has said.

Retired Army General Augusto Heleno, Bolsonaro's security adviser, said that the president is planning to follow the US' lead in moving the embassy to Jerusalem, but that "logistical considerations" were in the way, Reuters reported on Thursday.

"There is a clear desire that this happens, but there has been no decision on a date," said Heleno.

Bolsonaro is a keen adviser of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and has also spoken of his admiration of US President Donald Trump.

The US moved its embassy to Jerusalem in May, sparking protests across the Arab world.

Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital but the vast majority of countries in the world base their diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv due to the Palestinian claims to the city.

Netanyahu has claimed that Bolsonaro told him that the transfer of Brazil's embassy to Jerusalem was a case of "when, not if".

But Brazil could be concerned about angering the Arab world with the move, particularly as the region is a major market for Brazilian meat products.

Brazilian agricultural giants are said to be wary about losing its place in the huge global halal market if the embassy move triggers boycotts in the Islamic world.

Heleno has downplayed these concerns and said Brazil's diplomats would work to ensure this did not happen.

Honduras also said this week it was in talks to move its embassy to Jerusalem.