Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has uttered fresh criticism of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Lula stated that “Israel’s behaviour has no explanation.”
“With the pretext of fighting Hamas, it is killing women and children,” he added.
He made these remarks after a meeting with Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo.
The Brazilian President arrived in Cairo on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, afternoon for a two-day visit.
This is Lula da Silva’s second official visit to Egypt.
The first was in 2003, when he became the first Brazilian head of state to visit Egypt since Pedro II of Brazil in the 1870s
The visit to Cairo follows Lula da Silva’s participation, upon El-Sisi’s invitation, in the COP27 Sharm El-Sheikh summit in December 2022 when he was a President-elect.
Speaking later to the Arab League, Lula said Brazil had condemned the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, but that Israel’s response was disproportional, indiscriminate and unacceptable.
“The killing must be stopped,” he said.
Lula also criticised the United Nations for failing to resolve international conflicts, calling for reform of the Security Council and admission of Palestine to the UN as a full member.
Lula said that the Security Council should be expanded and its veto powers abolished.
“At a time when we should be talking about increasing food production, we are talking about the insanity of war. War brings no benefit to anyone. The member countries of the UN Security Council should be pacifists but they are the ones who started the latest wars.”
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Moreso, The Brazilian leader opined that Palestine should be recognized as a sovereign state and admitted to the United Nations as a full member, saying that there would not be peace without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
He also called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
“The multilateral institutions that were created to help solve these problems do not work, which is why Brazil is committed to making the necessary changes in global governance bodies, and we hope to count on Egypt’s support,” he said to reporters alongside Sisi.
Brazil has supported South Africa’s case brought before the International Court of Justice against the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
In addition, Lula announced that his government will make a new contribution to the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), which is facing a cash crunch after Israel alleged that 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza were involved in the Oct. 7 attack.
“The recent allegations against the agency’s staff need to be properly investigated, but they cannot paralyze it,” he said, calling other countries “to maintain and increase their contributions.”
A Call For Ceasefire
Moreover, Lula and Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi highlighted the need for the cessation of Israeli hostilities in the strip, which has lasted for more than four months in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israeli cities.
“I agreed with President Lula on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of captives and prisoners, and the entry of the largest possible amount of aid into the strip to preserve the lives of civilians,” Sisi said in the press conference with Lula.
He added that he and Lula also emphasize the importance of paving the way for the post-war phase to establish a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Sisi commended Brazil for recognizing the Palestinian state.
Lula said that the escalating violence against more than two million Palestinians in Gaza is unacceptable, hailing Egypt’s role as crucial to find a solution to this conflict.
READ ALSO: Trading Activity Slows in Secondary Bond Market as Yield Curve Reverses Downward
