Criticized by Israel for a statement on the Iran attack, Brazil’s foreign minister is heading to the United Nations to emphasize that the conflict should not distract from the humanitarian crisis
16/04/2024
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Mauro Vieira — Foto: José Cruz/Agência Brasil
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira is expected to speak on Thursday (18) at the open discussion of the United Nations Security Council in New York, where he will advocate for Palestine’s demand to be recognized as a full member of the UN. This topic will be the focus of the meeting, which will include the foreign ministers from the 15 countries that constitute the Security Council. Brazil left the collegiate body in December, having held its presidency throughout October, during which Hamas attacked Israel, sparking the current conflict.
In his speech, the foreign minister is set to emphasize that recent developments in the conflict between Israel and Iran should not distract from the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. To date, Brazil’s only official statement on Iran’s launching of drones and missiles toward Israel was issued on Saturday (13) evening. In it, the government expressed “grave concern” about the unfolding conflict, urged the parties involved to “exercise maximum restraint,” and called for international mobilization to “avoid an escalation.”
The note was criticized by Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Zonshine, for its failure to condemn the attacks, which, even in the United States, are being described as “choreographed” because they were forewarned three hours in advance, allowing 99% of the drones and missiles to be intercepted.
The attack occurred 12 days after the Israeli bombing of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, the Syrian capital, which resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two commanders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Following domestic reactions to President Lula’s comments comparing Israel’s attacks on Gaza to the Holocaust, the directive is to proceed with more caution.
At a press conference with Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino on Monday afternoon, Mauro Vieira was urged to condemn the attack and added, “Brazil always condemns any act of violence and always calls for understanding between the parties.”
President Lula’s upcoming trip to Colombia on Tuesday (16) will test his diplomatic stance, as Colombian President Gustavo Petro has taken strong positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. He has aligned himself with accusations of “genocide,” made comments similar to President Lula’s regarding the Holocaust, and halted Israeli arms imports after Israeli forces fired on Gazans gathering for food. Like the Brazilian ambassador, the Colombian ambassador in Tel Aviv was summoned for consultations and has not returned to the country.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vieira has not officially confirmed his trip to the UN. However, since his return from the West Bank a month ago, the Foreign minister has been conversing with international colleagues at the behest of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to garner broader support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, a significant step toward formal state recognition. During his visit, Mr. Vieira observed the extensive militarization of the West Bank, where there are 700 civilian checkpoints.
Brazil’s backing of Palestine traces back to the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, brokered by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton between the Israeli government and Yasser Arafat, then president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The agreements called for the Israeli armed forces’ withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank and the right to self-governance in areas under the Palestinian Authority. The accord garnered the Nobel Peace Prize for then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat in 1994.
Mr. Vieira, who traveled over the weekend, spoke with the foreign ministers of Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, and Luxembourg. Two of these countries, Spain and Norway—along with Ireland—have already expressed their support for the Palestinian bid for full UN membership.
Palestinian diplomats are hopeful that Brazil will help secure Argentina’s support for Palestine’s full participation in the UN. That is a sensitive issue in Argentina, still marked by the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) 30 years ago, which killed 85 people and remains the deadliest attack in Argentine history. Brazil is also expected to encourage Uruguay to adopt a similar stance.
The Security Council’s approval of the Palestinian request is challenging. In 2011, the council considered the issue but failed to gather the nine votes needed to move the recommendation to the General Assembly. Currently, Palestine’s bid would secure 10 of the 15 votes, but it faces opposition from two permanent members, the United States and the United Kingdom. France is poised to join Russia and China in a separate resolution supporting full Palestinian membership. In addition to the five permanent members, the Security Council is composed of Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
The Palestinians are counting on the potential electoral repercussions for U.S. President Joe Biden if he denies this request. Israel has already violated a ceasefire resolution in the region, with backing from U.S. Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who described the resolution as “non-binding.” After the violation, Israel requested an emergency Security Council meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Despite American pressure for Israel to claim a tactical victory by intercepting almost all missiles, the White House, according to the Wall Street Journal, hopes for a measured retaliation that allows both sides to claim victory without escalating the conflict further.
*Por Maria Cristina Fernandes — São Paulo
Source: Valor International