President again called Hamas attacks an act of terrorism, criticized Israel's response and called for a final ceasefire; also defended United Nations reform with “pacifist” countries on the Security Council
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated on Thursday (February 15, 2024) that Israel is not following the decisions of the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral bodies regarding the military response to the extremist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The PT member said that the United Nations “currently does not have enough strength” to prevent wars and again defended the reform of international multilateral bodies.
“The only thing that can be done is to ask for peace through the press, but it seems to me that Israel has the primacy not to abide by a decision of the leadership of the United Nations, or rather not to comply with it to hold,” said Lula. The president made the statement to journalists alongside Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Khalil alSisi during his visit to Egypt.
The Brazilian president arrived in the country on Wednesday (February 14) at a time when tensions between Egypt and Israel were rising due to the threat of Israeli military action in the southern Gaza Strip.
Although the trip marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Egypt, the conflict dominated the Brazilian leader's discussions. The southern region of the Gaza Strip is currently home to more than a million Palestinians who were displaced from other wartorn cities. It is practically the last refuge in the region.
Hamas terrorism, Israel's disparity
Lula said again that he considers the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 to be a terrorist attack, but said that the Israeli response has “no explanation” because it kills women and children in Gaza.
“Brazil was a country that strongly condemned Hamas's position in the attack on Israel and the kidnapping of hundreds of people, and we condemned and described the act as terrorist.” But there is no explanation for Israel's behavior under the pretext that Hamas admits and killing women and children, something that has never happened in any war that I know of,” he said.
The Brazilian president defended a final ceasefire in the conflict region that would allow the “provision of sustained, unhindered and immediate humanitarian assistance” and the “unconditional” release of hostages.
“Brazil strictly rejects the attempted expulsion of the Palestinian people. “For this reason, among others, Brazil expressed its support for the process initiated by South Africa at the International Court of Justice. “There will be no peace without a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders,” he said. .
On January 26, the court based in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that Israel must take a series of measures to prevent “genocidal” practices in the Gaza Strip. Here is the full text (PDF 299 kB, in English). However, the decision did not order a ceasefire in the conflict, which was criticized by some countries.
Brazil supported the lawsuit filed by South Africa after Lula spoke with the Palestinian ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzeben, on January 10. On Friday (February 9), at dinner at the Palestinian embassy in Brasília, Lula defended Israel's need to abide by the International Court of Justice's decision.
In the statement to journalists, alSisi said that Egypt also agreed with the need for an immediate ceasefire in the region so that Gaza residents could receive humanitarian assistance. He also defended the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem. The city, considered holy by Jews, Christians and Muslims, is now the capital of Israel. “I am grateful for the Brazilian president’s recognition of the Palestinian state,” he said.
Lula will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the coming days on the sidelines of the African Union summit, where the Brazilian president will attend as a guest of honor.
UNCLIMMED
In his speech, the President said that global multilateral institutions such as the United Nations were created to resolve problems between countries, but they are no longer able to act in this spirit.
“We have the war between Russia and Ukraine, for which, no matter how hard I look for an explanation, I cannot find an explanation because the United Nations does not have enough forces to prevent these wars, in anticipation of each adventure.” […] The last few wars we fought, like the invasion of Iraq, did not go through the UN Security Council; the invasion of Libya did not pass the UN Security Council; “Russia did not go through the Security Council to wage a war with Ukraine, and the Security Council cannot do anything in the war between Israel and Gaza,” Lula said.
The Brazilian president asked for Egypt's support to push for changes at the United Nations. This is a flag that Lula has been defending since the start of his third term, but is unlikely to succeed.
“Other countries must take part in the UN Security Council, other countries in Africa, other countries in Latin America. There must be a new geopolitics at the United Nations. “It is necessary to end the veto power of countries and the members of the Security Council must be pacifist actors and not actors who foment war,” he said.
EGYPT HELPED BRAZILIANS EXTRACTION FROM THE WAR ZONE
Lula also thanked alSisi for Egypt's help in the operation to remove 115 Brazilians and their families from the Gaza Strip. The only border in the region that leads to areas other than Israel is the Rafah border crossing, which leads to Egypt. Therefore, Brazil had to negotiate with the Egyptian government so that Brazilians could enter the national territory and return to Brazil.
“I couldn’t help but start my entire conversation by thanking President alSisi for the solidarity he showed in helping Brazil evacuate Brazilians in Gaza,” he said.