Brazil still opposed to Israel’s “disproportionate use of force”

Brazil’s Foreign Relations Minister Luiz Alberto Figueiredo ed on Thursday (Jul 24) the position adopted by the Brazilian government, which released a note strongly condemning “the disproportionate use of force” by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

“We condemn the disproportionateness in Israel’s reaction, with the death of approximately 700 people, of whom around 70% are civilians, among whom many women, children and elders. Indeed, it is not acceptable that an attack should raise the number of dead children, women and civilians so considerably” the minister declared. “That is the fact this new statement refers to,” Figueiredo pointed out.

The minister also highlighted that, last week, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry had already released a note opposing Islamic movement Hamas for the rockets launched against Israel, and also the latter, for attacking the Gaza Strip. “Israel complains that, in the previous note, we did not express opposition, as we had done before. Our opposition still holds true; we strongly oppose Hamas’s launching rockets against Israel. This is still true. There’s no doubt. There can’t be any doubts about that,” Figueiredo added.

While speaking to journalists in São Paulo after an event, Figueiredo responded to the statement made by Yigal Palmor, a spokesman of Israel’s Foreign Relations Ministry. According to newspaper The Jerusalem Post, he described Brazil as a “diplomatic dwarf”, in spite of the Latin American country’s economic and cultural position. “What I read is that Brazil is a cultural and economic giant, and also a diplomatic dwarf. I must say that Brazil is one of the few countries—one of the 11 countries in the world—to have diplomatic relations with all UN member countries. And we have a history of cooperation for peace and actions for international peace. If there’s a diplomatic dwarf, Brazil’s definitely not one of them,” the chancellor responded.

Figueiredo believes, however, that Palmor’s statements should not damage the friendly relations between the two nations. “Countries have the right to disagree. And we’re using our right to show Israel that we find the death of women and children unacceptable, but we do not question Israel’s right to defend itself. We’ve never questioned that. What we question is the disproportionateness of things,” he pointed out.

The Brazilian chancellor also argued for the position adopted by Brazil in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Brazil voted to condemn Israel’s current military offensive in the Gaza Strip and to assemble an international commission aimed at investigating all violations and charging all those able for them.

“The majority have offered their , including the whole of Latin America. As our Latin American neighbors, we have also ed, in this case, an independent international investigation to ascertain what happened, what’s going on. I find it reasonable that an independent international investigation should take place, and it was on behalf of that that we have made our statement,” he concluded.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira de Oliveira