Embassies praise Brazil stance on Gaza conflict
Foreign embassies and consulates in Brazil have responded positively to the note released by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Relations recommending that Israelis and Palestinians reach a peace and security agreement on the Gaza strip through negotiations.
“The government reiterates its position in favor of negotiations that guarantee the establishment of two states, living peacefully and security, within internationally recognized borders, ensuring the access to places seen as holy by followers of the three monotheistic religions, in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council, particularly Resolution 478 (1980) and the United Nations General Assembly,” the note released Monday evening (14) reads.
“Belgium is in favor of a peaceful solution, and we hope that dialogue in the region is possible,” said Belgian Ambassador to Brazil Dirk Loncke, as a response to the note. He regretted the deaths of at least 60 people in the clashes in Palestine following the inauguration of the US Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday (14).
Loncke said he was honored to attend the Al-Nakba ceremony yesterday (15), organized by the diplomatic community in Brasília, in remembrance of the 700 thousand Palestinians expelled from their lands in the Middle East. The event was held at the headquarters of the Palestinian diplomatic mission and was attended not just by Arabic diplomatic authorities but also by representatives from other countries. Near the end of the ceremony, participants planted an olive tree, seen as typically middle-eastern. “I attended [the event] with absolute awareness,” Loncke stated.
Support for the UN
Azerbaijani Ambassador Elkhan Polukhov also praised Brazil’s note, and said that his country backs all of the resolutions of the United Nations arguing for the dialogue between Palestine and Israel. “Azerbaijan is a country that faced an occupation in the past; we believe that human lives have no price. People must learn to live in peace and harmony,” he said.
In his comments on Brazil’s note, Qatari Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hayki thanked Brazil for its “honorable stance regarding Palestine.” In his view, the text is in line with the position Brazil has always had—in harmony with the United Nations, in favor of peace in the Middle East.
Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahin Alzeben, in turn, said “he was glad” about the position of the Brazilian government, as it expresses empathy towards the victims of the clashes and sends its condolences to so many Palestinians families suffering on the Gaza strip. “On the other hand, the Brazilian position makes an appeal for Israel to be in compliance with international humanitarian laws and also to follow international resolutions aimed at finding a solution for this conflict,” he said.
