Brazil: Hamas is Not a Terrorist Organization
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BPNIC Briefing, August 2008
According to Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Patriota’s
statement at a roundtable discussion hosted by George
Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute,
on July 29th 2008, Hamas has a political wing that funds
social welfare programs in the Middle East, and unlike the
United States, Brazil does not recognize Hamas as a
terrorist organization. "This is something that was
exhaustively examined", Mr. Patriota said. He referred to
concerns of the United States as a "myth", saying the "Three
Plus One" initiative that pools intelligence resources from
Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and the United States has turned
up no evidence to support them.
"It cannot be presumed and it has never been shown that any
financing has gone to any military or violent initiative"
"It cannot be presumed and it has never been shown that any
financing has gone to any military or violent initiative,"
he said. Furthermore, Mr. Patriota labeled as unfair
assertions from some national governments and media outlets
that Brazil has "ungoverned space." He said the
Brazilian Government of
President Lula da Silva takes
meaningful investigative action in the region, and one of
the biggest developments to come out of the post 9/11
mobilization was the creation of the Three Plus One
Initiative, which has not reported any terrorist activities
in Brazil, and the tri-border area with Argentina and
Paraguay. The member states recognize the usefulness of the
Initiative and plan to maintain it, and Brazil has eight
other tri-border areas that are also causes for concern,
Ambassador Patriota said.
Brazil, home to approximately 60,000 Palestinians and more
than 10 million Arabs, encourages Palestinians to keep
pushing through the peace process with Israel in accordance
with the "road Map" and the agreements already signed
previously with the
Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO).
According to BPNIC Political Affairs Director, Marcio Darlei
Macedo, the
Brazilian government expects that a
unity government between
the Palestinian parties, including Fatah and Hamas, will
decrease differences and smooth the way for normalization of
relations between the Palestinian Government and the
international community.
"Brazil is ready to cooperate with any Palestinian
government which seeks, among other things, the formation
and consolidation of an economically viable Palestinian
state, which at the same time wants to contribute to peace
and recognizes the existence of Israel," Brazilian Foreign
Minister Celso Amorim has stated previously.
Today, the Fatah-led
Palestinian National Authority (PNA) headed by
President Mahmoud
Abbas, which gets the highest per capita percentage of
UN humanitarian aid in the world, is the authority of the
Palestinian people living in the homeland while the
Fatah-led
PLO, which formally
delegates power to the PNA, is responsible for Palestinian
foreign representation offices abroad and is the sole legal
representative for Palestinian people wherever they may be.
Desiring to promote mutual relations and improve friendship
between them, the Brazilian Government and the Palestinian
Government determined to strengthen and develop the economic
relations by allowing Palestine to
join a free trade
agreement with Mercosul in November 2008.
BPNIC hopes that the outcomes of such statements by
Brazilian Diplomats will provide a substantial boost to the
Palestinian moral and the Palestinian economy, in order for
peace to be lasting and genuine. Through the
Bridges to
Palestine program, BPNIC has effectively participated in
meetings with civil societies, political parties, and
members of Parliament, and continues to prepare for and host
inclusive meetings designed to foster adherence to the
values of peace and coexistence between the Palestinians and
Israelis.
The Brazilian Palestinian National Interest Committee is
a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to work
with the legislative body of Brazil on legislation that
strengthens the relationship between Brazil and
Palestinians.
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