In an official position this Tuesday (20), Brazil expressed to the International Court of Justice, in The Hague (Netherlands), that the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israeli military forces is illegal, considering international legislation, and violates the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.
The Court is discussing the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. The sessions are expected to feature the participation of more than 50 countries, including China, the United States and Russia by the beginning of next week. Israel claims the court has no “legitimacy” for the case and said the hearings aim to “attack Israel’s right to defend itself.”
The Brazilian position, presented by diplomat Maria Clara Tusco, the country’s representative at the ICJ, reinforced the understanding that Brazil assesses that the Israeli presence in Palestinian lands is, in practice, an annexation of those territories – nominally through the construction of illegal colonies in the West Bank and the annexation of West Jerusalem.
The diplomat highlighted that Brazil repudiates the existence of two legal systems in the West Bank region, one for the Palestinians and the other for the Israeli settlers settled in the region. For Brazilian diplomacy, there is discrimination in this case that makes it difficult to recognize equality and human rights and fundamental freedoms for the Arab population.
“Brazil expects this Court to reaffirm that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and violates international obligations through a series of actions and omissions by the State of Israel. This cannot be accepted, much less normalized by the international community,” he said the Brazilian representative.
Among the laws that are being disrespected, according to the Brazilian assessment, is UN Security Council Resolution 242, from 1967, which proposed a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and which expressed the prohibition of the annexation of territories by force, in addition to recommending the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories.
Brazil decided to speak out in the case, respecting the country’s “historical commitment to respecting international law, promoting multilateralism and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes”, summarized the Brazilian diplomat.
“Brazil has reaffirmed its position in defense of the two-state solution, with the creation of a sovereign and economically viable Palestinian state, which coexists in peace with and security with Israel, with mutually defined and internationally recognized borders, including the Gaza Strip , the West Bank and East Jerusalem”, summarized Tusco.
Editing: Rodrigo Durão Coelho
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
