Brazil recognizes Palestinian state

[Derechos]

Brazil says it has recognized the state of Palestine based on borders at the time of Israel's 1967 conquest of the West Bank.

The Foreign Ministry says the recognition is in response to a request made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last month to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Silva sent a letter to Abbas on Dec. 1, saying Brazil recognizes Palestine and hopes that the recognition will help lead to states of Israel and Palestine "that will coexist peacefully and in security."



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/03/v-print/1955783/brazil-recognizes-palestinian.html#ixzz17LuaBoxM

[social_critic]

1. Whoops

That ought to get Hillary in a tizzy. She's very pro-Israel, and opposed to the Palestinian cause.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It's a trifecta when some get a chance to take a kick at H.C., Palestine, and Israel

simultaneously.

Everyone knows the most rabid among U. S. racists hate BOTH sides of the conflict with wild, unreasoning ignorance, and have always hated H.C. from the first day they heard of her, considering she represents herself as a Democrat.

It wasn't that long ago, during her husbands presidency some of these clowns chewed up the scenery, raging that H.C. seems to support Palestinians.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Argentina recognises Palestine

Argentina recognises Palestine

Buenos Aires follows Brazil in recognising a "free and independent state" for the Palestinians.
Last Modified: 06 Dec 2010 20:32 GMT

Argentina has recognised Palestine as a "free and independent state," just days after neighbouring Brazil announced that it would "legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people for a secure, united, democratic and economically viable state co-existing peacefully with Israel".

Hector Timerman, Argentina's foreign minister, said on Monday that the Latin American nation officially recognised Palestine according to its 1967 borders and hopes for peaceful solution to Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"Argentina has traditionally recognised the right of the Palestinian people to create an independent state just like the Israeli state, to live together in peace with their neighbours with secure and internationally recognised borders," Timerman said.

"With this objective, our country has always supported the international community's initiatives to reach a fair, peaceful and definitive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."

More:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/12/201012619131648126.html

[Judi Lynn]

4. Argentina, Uruguay recognise Palestine

Latest Update: Tuesday7/12/2010December, 2010, 12:14 AM
Argentina, Uruguay recognise Palestine

Argentina and Uruguay said yesterday they were joining Brazil in recognising an independent Palestinian state, earning an immediate sharp rebuke from Israel and causing unease in the US.

Israel called the announcement by Buenos Aires “regrettable” and said it went against an Israeli-Palestinian agreement that such a state should only be recognised with Israeli approval. That echoed criticism Israel made after Brazil started the South American movement on Friday by saying it recognised a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, before Israel seized and occupied Gaza and the West Bank.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas reached out to the governments as part of an effort to win UN recognition of a Palestinian state. His strategy followed the suspension of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations because of Israel’s renewed construction of settlements on Palestinian land after a temporary ban.

“The Argentine government recognises Palestine as a free and independent state within the borders defined in 1967,” Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said, reading a letter sent by Argentine President Cristina Kirchner to Abbas.
Timerman said the recognition reflected a general consensus among members of Mercosur, the South American trade bloc.

More:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=403052&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

[social_critic]

5. Cool

This is good news. Now we got to figure out the Washington reaction. It's going to be really interesting, to see if the Obama administration tries a hostile move against Latin American countries. Billy Kristol at Fox News/Weekly Standard will have a conuption, LOL.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Israel upset at Argentina recognition of Palestine

Dec 7, 4:09 AM EST
Israel upset at Argentina recognition of Palestine

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Foreign Ministry officials say they are disappointed by Argentina's recognition of a Palestinian state in territories Israel occupied in 1967.

Spokesman Yigal Palmor said the recognition was "disappointing and damaging," and counterproductive to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. He said Tuesday that both parties have agreed that a Palestinian state can only be created as a result of a peace treaty.

Argentina says its announcement Monday reflects its frustration with stalemated peace efforts.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_ARGENTINA?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[social_critic]

7. Has anybody seen any of this reported by media?

I really like the idea that Palestine was recognized, but last night I didn't see it reported in any of the TV channels I watch. Evidently this will set up a conflict between progressive Latin American nations and the Israelis - and the US won't be far behind, we like to meddle everywhere, and Israel is our patron saint in the Middle East. So I expect to see diplomatic conflict between Latin America, led by Brazil, and the US in the future over this issue.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Haven't seen a word about it in corporate U.S. media outlets. n/t

[social_critic]

10. Saw it on Bloomberg

Bloomberg reported it, low key. But I've been trying to catch it elsewhere, and it hasn't made the headlines. Maybe they are waiting for the neocons to get their headlines crafted and give them to Fox News ("Brazil doesn't want peace in the Middle East", "Brazil joins Axis of Evil", etc).

[rabs]

9. Add Paraguay to the list

The recognition was made through a personal letter from the Argentine head of state to the president of the Palestine Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, revealed Timmerman. Apparently the official request was made during the Palestine president’s visit to Argentina last year.

The announcement follows a similar one from Brazil three days ago.

“The Argentine government shares with its Mercosur associates, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay that the moment has come to recognize Palestine as a free and independent state”, underlined Timmerman.

http://en.mercopress.com/2010/12/07/argentina-and-mercosur-associates-recognize-the-state-of-palestine


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Interesting about Argentina because it has the largest Jewish population in Latin America (some figures cite 200,000).

http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.298063.1277372032!/image/202633449.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/202633449.jpg
The announcement was made by Hector Timmerman, Argentina's first Jewish foreign minister. He is the son of the late Jacobo Timmerman, who opposed the military dictatorship, was arrested, tortured and was forced into exile.

Jacobo Timmerman's book "Prisoner without a name, Cell without a number" describes in detail the torture he underwent and became a bestseller.

The Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was blown up with a car bomb in March 1992; 29 people killed, more than 200 wounded.

In July 1994, another car bomb destroyed the AMIA (Israeli Argentina Mutual Association) in the heart of Buenos Aires, 85 killed, hundreds wounded.

No one has been tried for the two attacks, although Iranian operatives were blamed.

Btw, the Brazilian government has had diplomatic relations with the Palestinian Authority since the early 1990s. Uruguay's Pepe Mujica in September announced the recognition of the Palestine state. The Mercopress news that Paraguay was joining was new to me.

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Once again this shows that Latin America is going its own way, no matter what Washington says.

[social_critic]

11. This may not be official recognition

A letter may not be official recognition. They need to sign papers and exchange ambassadors. And this may be the reason why some media isn't really taking it up yet.