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| Gaza City, where more than half of the
population are children, is under attack due to Israeli state sponsored
terrorism. |
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BPNIC Briefing, December 2008
The Brazilian government criticized the decision of Israel
to conduct aerial bombing on the Gaza Strip, and extended
its solidarity to the families of the victims of the
bombings.
The escalation of violence in the region after the
cease-fire between Israel and Hamas undermines efforts for a
peaceful negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, noted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil on
Saturday, December 27, 2008.
What Israel is doing in one of the most densely populated
tracts of land in the world, at the end of 2008, where the
unemployment rate is higher than anywhere else in the world,
is a war crime.
The Government of Israel must end the siege and the war in
Gaza, for the sake of its neighbors, for the sake of the
average Palestinian citizen, for the sake of the average
Israeli citizen, and for the sake of peace.
The vicious cycle must end, sooner than later.
Destruction
and depopulation of Palestinian towns and villages has been
occurring over the past 60 years.
Military attacks on Palestinian villages and neighborhoods
began as early as December 1947, a few days after the UN
Partition Resolution Plan was adopted on 29 November 1947.
Thus, many Palestinians fled due to direct military assaults
on their towns and villages; others were forcibly expelled
by Jewish military forces. Massacres of Palestinian
civilians created an atmosphere of fear that caused many
Palestinians to seek safety elsewhere, on the understanding
that they would return once the hostilities subsided.
The most famous massacre occurred in Deir Yassin where, by most
conservative estimates, the Irgune and Stern troops murdered
more than 100 Palestinian men, women and children.
Irgune, shorthand for the National Military Organization in
the Land of Israel, a predecessor to today's Israeli Likud
party, included attacks against Palestinians and British,
and expressed the ideology that every Jew had the right to
enter Palestine. Today's Israeli military demonstrates just
that, by demolishing homes and building up colonies on
Palestinian land.
More than one million Palestinians live in refugee camps in
occupied Palestine, including Gaza. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan
and Saudi Arabia have more than 3 million Palestinian
refugees. Egypt is no different, which has about 70,000 and
is not prepared to accept the masses of Palestinian refugees,
as they already have enough social and economic problems.
The Middle East needs solutions for peace, not war. Although
the situation in relation to occupation in Palestine is
complex, the solution is simple: End of occupation.
The right of return of refugees, and the designation of East
Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state
within the borders of 1967.
Brazil has already expressed to the Madrid Quartet nations
and international entities made up of the United States,
Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, its
readiness to participate more actively in international
efforts to compel Israel to bring to an end the occupation
of the Palestinians.
Brazil has already said, at the Conference for Peace in
Annapolis, negotiations for a land for peace agreement must:
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Remain a guiding principle for a durable, negotiated
solution.
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Lead to a sovereign, democratic, cohesive and
economically viable Palestinian State in the territories
occupied since 1967.
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Include efficient measures to protect and secure Israel
from acts of violence.
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Be comprehensive and inclusive, and allow moderate voices
to be strengthened.
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Include bold decisions, which will necessarily involve
concessions, and will no doubt be painful.
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Prevail over rigid self-righteous positions, which only
lead to bitterness and hostility.
After sixty years of mutual distrust and continued violence,
the time has come to address the problem realistically and
effectively. The Palestinian-Israeli dispute has persisted
for far too long. It is essential that an independent
Palestinian State be established within a credible time
horizon. At the same time, conditions that permit the State
of Israel to coexist in peace with its neighbors must be
ensured.
During the last few years Brazil has participated actively
in international efforts towards peace, and expressed its
confidence that the Annapolis Conference will pave the way
for a meaningful and effective resumption of the peace
process.
The Brazilian Palestinian
National Interest Committee
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Views the participation of Brazil will reinvigorate the
peace process since Brazil has good relations with both the
Palestinians and Israelis.
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Is currently working on establishing special groups
between Brazilians and Palestinian to help economic
development in the Palestinian territories and provide for a
peaceful solution to the Question of Palestine.
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Is working on strengthening the relation between Brazil
and the Palestinians. Brazil was the first Latin American
country granted observer status by the Arab League, of which
Palestine is a member.
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Wishes to increase the Brazilian contribution in helping
the Palestinians achieve their dream of having an
economically viable and independent state, to exist
peacefully along side Israel, and considers that a
Palestinian state can contribute in providing for peace in
the Middle East.
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Continues to promote Brazil as key for
Palestinian-Israeli peace, and promote Brazil's interests in
the Middle East by urging its members to maintain contact
with Members of Congress, to support important initiatives
that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian State.
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Views that Brazil’s Jewish and Arab migrants, who found
shelter and refuge in Brazil, can be used as an example for
the friendly coexistence of the Jewish and Arab communities,
to strengthen the peace process and demonstrate tolerance,
and dialogue.
The committee commends the Ministry of External Relations for their
statement to secure the way for a Palestinian state, which
also called for parties to refrain from further acts of
violence. Similar
announcements will continue to be supported.
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