‘Both Israel and Palestine have the right to exist,’ says Lula by condemning genocide in Gaza

“The terrorist acts committed by Hamas are unacceptable. Brazil was emphatic in condemning them. But the right of defense does not authorize the indiscriminate killing of civilians. Nothing justifies to use hunger as a weapon of war, nor hungry people in search of help.”

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated that he is taking place in Gaza not only extermination of the Palestinian people, but an attempt to annihilage his nation dream.

“As the Inquiry Commission on the occupied Palestinian territories pointed out, there is no more appropriate word to describe what is happening in Gaza than genocide,” said Lula.

The president was one of the heads of state to comment at the International Conference to the peaceful solution of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the solution of two states. The meeting held on Monday (9/22) precedes the United Nations Assembly at the organization’s headquarters in New York.

Lula reinforced the Brazilian support to the process opened by South Africa, demanding the recognition of the Palestinian State, as a sharing plan presented by the UN 78 years ago: “A state rests on three pillars: the territory, the population and the government. All have been systematically undermined in the Palestinian case,” he said.

The Brazilian leader reiterated that the terrorist acts committed by Hamas are unacceptable and that Brazil was already emphatic in condemning them. “But the right of defense does not authorize the indiscriminate killing of civilians,” he said.

“Nothing justifies lifelong or mutilating more than 50,000 children. Nothing justifies destroying 90% of Palestinian homes. Nothing justifies to use hunger as a weapon of war, nor does he get hungry people looking for help. Half a million Palestinians do not have enough food, more than the population of Miami or Tel Aviv.

Read Lula’s full statement about the Palestinian situation

Compliance with President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman for leading this important process.

The issue of Palestine arose at the time the General Assembly adopted the so -called sharing plan 78 years ago.

The session in which he was approved was chaired by Brazilian Oswaldo Aranha.

At that time, the perspective of two states was born. But only one has materialized.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is a greater symbol of the obstacles faced by multilateralism.

It shows how the veto tyranny sabotes the very reason for being the UN, from preventing atrocities like those that motivated its foundation.

He also goes against his universal vocation, blocking admission, as a full member, of a state whose creation derives from the authority of the General Assembly itself.

A state is based on three pillars: the territory, the population and the government.

All have been systematically undermined in the Palestinian case.

How to talk about territory in the face of an illegal occupation that grows with each new settlement?

How to maintain a population in the face of ethnic cleaning we watch in real time?

And how to build a government without empowering the Palestinian authority?

As the Inquiry Commission on the occupied Palestinian territories pointed out, there is no more appropriate word to describe what is happening in Gaza than genocide.

Therefore, Brazil decided to become part of the case presented by South Africa to the International Court of Justice.

The terrorist acts committed by Hamas are unacceptable. Brazil was emphatic in condemning them.

But the right of defense does not authorize the indiscriminate killing of civilians.

Nothing justifies to take life or mutilate more than fifty thousand children.

Nothing justifies destroying 90% of Palestinian homes.

Nothing justifies using hunger as a weapon of war, nor raise hungry people in search of help.

Half a million Palestinians do not have enough food, more than the population of Miami or Tel Aviv.

Hunger does not only afflict the body. It souls the soul.

What is happening in Gaza is not only the extermination of the Palestinian people, but an attempt to annihilage their nation dream.

Both Israel and Palestine have the right to exist.

To work to effect the Palestinian state is to correct an asymmetry that compromises dialogue and obstructs peace.

We greeted the countries that recognized Palestine, as Brazil did in 2010. We are already the vast majority of the 193 UN members.

Brazil is committed to strengthening control over imports of illegal settlements in the West Bank and keeping exports of defense material, including dual use, which can be used in crimes against humanity and genocide.

Given the omission of the Security Council, the General Assembly needs to exercise its responsibility.

We supported the creation of an organ-inspired body against apartheid, which played a central role at the end of the South African racial segregation regime.

Ensuring Palestine’s right of self -determination is an act of justice and an essential step in restoring the strength of multilateralism and recovering our collective sense of humanity.

Thanks.

Originally published by GOV AGENCY ON 09/22/2025