Topic: Question of Palestinian Statehood
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Victoria Spiegel
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Brazil position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
The long conflict between Palestine and Israel has cost both parties thousands upon thousands of lives. Escalating violence and increased tension between the two peoples only intensifies the urgency of the issue of Palestinian Statehood, and it is vital that the discord and disagreement surrounding this issue be settled peacefully, with a sustainable and durable solution that brings justice to both Israel and Palestine.
Brazil places full support behind the just cause of the Palestinian people. We recognize and advocate a Palestine State within the borders of 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian people aspire to establish a secure, united, democratic, geographically cohesive, and economically viable Palestinian State, coexisting peacefully with Israel, and Brazil supports these ideals of a two-state solution. The international community must recognize Palestine’s legitimate right to sovereignty and self-determination, which will only strengthen the possibilities of peace and reduce the current asymmetry between the two parties. We also support the right of Israel to live in peace with her neighbors, and we recognize Israel’s valid concerns for safety and security. Brazil firmly stresses the importance of the ending of settlement activity by Israel in Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. We also stress the importance of the reactions and approaches of Israel and United States, and we would ask all involved parties to realize the necessity of accepting Palestine as an equal and legitimate negotiating partner. Above all, Brazil seeks a peaceful solution brought about by negotiations and diplomacy, not violence. We recognize that there will be no durable peace without painful concessions from both sides; however, Brazil strongly believes that a nonviolent, sustainable solution is on the horizon.
In addition to political efforts to promote peace, Brazil maintains support of Palestinian development. In 2007, Brazil made a donation worth $10 million to Palestine, which is being used to further the education, public health, and urban infrastructure of the West Bank. We have pledged an additional $15 million to be used for Gaza reconstruction. Brazil also provides extensive monetary support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees, and we continue to be a country that receives Palestinian refugees in need.
Brazil defends and advocates the inclusion of new participants in the seeking of a peaceful solution between Palestine and Israel. We are convinced that expanding the conversations to a broader group will allow the introduction of fresh ideas and contributions. Though the main elements of a peace accord have long been on the table, and we do not mean to reinvent the wheel, Brazil holds that new actors will further lateral thinking on the ways by which to implement these elements. Brazil advocates the creation of a small support group composed of interested countries with international credibility and good relations with all parties, to advance and assist in the negotiations between Israel and Palestine. This urgent issue, perhaps the most important predicament regarding international peace and security we face today, must be addressed quickly and with diplomacy. On the question of Palestinian Statehood, the United Nations must be on the right side of history.
