Brazil’s foreign minister reinforces calls for urgent “dialogue and peace” in Gaza

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira appeared before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday to speak about the country’s diplomatic moves regarding the Israel-Hamas war, which started on October 7 after the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip launched attacks on Israeli territory.

Mr. Vieira reinforced Brazil’s position, defending “dialogue that leads to peace” and asking that both sides respect international law and preserve civilian lives. He added that the country will “spare no effort” to create a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to escape war zones. 

Israel said Wednesday it would not block aid to Gaza from Egypt, but it isn’t clear when aid can go into Gaza.

The foreign minister regretted that a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for humanitarian access to Gaza and protection of civilians and condemning the Hamas attack on Israel, put forth by Brazil, had been vetoed by the U.S. 

“Unfortunately, it was not possible to approve this resolution … But we did all we could to call for hostilities to cease and human sacrifice to stop,” he told senators. The U.S. opposed the text as it did not state that Israel has the right to defend itself.

Mr. Vieira informed that Brazil has repatriated over 1,000 nationals — and lamented the deaths of three Brazilian nationals.

Part of the opposition sought to grill Mr. Vieira on why the government did not call Hamas a terrorist organization. Brazil has historically refrained from doing so, as the UN does not strictly maintain a list of designated terrorist groups, but rather a list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions, which includes Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, but not Hamas.

“Brazilians were assassinated by these terrorists that perpetrated crimes against humanity,” said Senator Sergio Moro of Paraná. “That alone would require a stronger position from Brazilian diplomacy, which came milder than it should.”

As Brasília correspondent Cedê Silva has explained, the Israel-Hamas conflict has become a new battleground in the country’s ongoing left-right culture wars.

Many Brazilian Evangelical Protestants — an important constituency for conservatives — argue that the Bible specifies that Jewish people are the chosen ones, and, therefore, have a legitimate claim over holy sites in the Middle East. The left, meanwhile, has historically sided with the Palestinian cause, as it sees this population as marginalized.

President Lula’s Workers’ Party continues to trade barbs with Israel. On Monday, the party condemned both Hamas and Israel for attacks on civilians, adding that Israel carries out a “genocide” of Palestinians. 

Israeli diplomacy responded, saying it is “regrettable” that a party that defends human rights compares Israel to Hamas. The Workers’ Party continued the tit-for-tat discussion, saying Israel has “no moral high ground” to discuss human rights.

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