10 November 2023; MEMO: During a session on Gaza in the Brazilian Parliament yesterday, police expelled pro-Israel Congressman, Abilio Brunini, after an argument broke out between him and pro-Palestinian Brazilian congressmen.
Brunini said he supports Israel’s genocidal bombing campaign in Gaza, which led other participants to interrupt him and ask him to leave the session...
Earlier, the Human Rights Committee of the Brazilian Parliament devoted a session to the situation in Gaza. It invited a number of Palestinian figures to speak about the rights violations by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, their land, property and freedom, calling on Brazilian deputies to exert more pressure on the occupation and expose its crimes in Gaza.
For over an hour and a half, the speakers and guests discussed the crimes of the Israeli occupation with appeals to the Brazilian authorities to take practical steps toward what is happening in Gaza at this time.
Among them were Palestinian Ambassador to Brasilia Ibrahim Al-Zaben, President of the Brazilian-Palestinian Institute (Iberspal) Ahmed Shehadeh and President of the Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (FEPAL) Ualid Rabah.
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“This session represented a great achievement. It is not easy for Palestinian figures to be invited to the Brazilian Parliament. Many obstacles were placed in front of these calls, but we were able to overcome them with the support of Brazilian deputies who support our cause,” Shehada told MEMO.
“This session broke the silence of Brazilian activists and made them return to their principles of supporting Palestine and raising their voices against injustice, ethnic cleansing, and genocide against the Palestinians”, Shehada added.
During the session, more than 60 representatives and congressmen signed a petition asking Brazil’s President Lula Da Silva to call for an urgent and immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to take a more effective role toward Israel’s crimes in Gaza, withdraw the Brazilian ambassador from Israel and cancel all cooperation agreements with the occupation state.
“As President Lula said that nothing can justify this genocide on Gaza where people have been killed, around half of them children. Furthermore, thousands of homes have been destroyed and people suffer from illegal and inhumane restrictions on accessing water, food, energy and internet,” the petition said. “We urge the Brazilian government to act energetically to end this genocide … We also ask the Brazilian government to recall the Brazilian ambassador to Israel for consultation and end all military and security cooperation agreements with Israel,” it added.
