São Paulo – The Palestinian ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Al Zeben, requested Brazil’s support to the recognition of the Palestinian state at the United Nations (UN). The request was made during an event of the campaign Palestina Já (Palestine Now), promoted by Brazilian organizations to support the request that Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas should make on September 20th at the UN’s General Assembly.
If approved by the UN Security Council, the request will be voted on by the UN General Assembly. In late 2010, Brazil declared its support to the recognition of the Palestinian State within 1967 borders.
In case the Security Council does not approve the request, then we will go to the General Assembly anyway, in order to show the world the true will of humanity,” said the ambassador. In case the request is approved by the General Assembly but not the Security Council, Palestine may become a non-member state, as is the case with the Vatican today.
“Brazil plays a key role not only within South America, but on a global level. It is the eighth economy in the planet. In the past eight years, Brazil managed to assert its true dimension in the world,” said Zeben during the event last Monday evening (29th).
Brazilian organizations that expressed their support to the Palestinian cause during the event include the Brazilian Male and Female Workers Central (CTB), the Unified Workers Central (CUT), the Landless Rural workers Movement (MST), the National Student Union (UNE) and the Women’s International Democratic Federation (Fedim). At the event, the organizations launched the website www.palestinaja.com.br and scheduled a demonstration for the recognition of Palestine at the UN for September 20th.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
