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'Take down fence.' Silva in Ramallah
Photo: AFP

Brazilian president places wreath on Arafat's tomb; calls for end to Gaza siege

Silva tells reporters in Ramallah 'brave steps needed to leave behind 50 years of pain'; calls to dismantle West Bank security barrier. Abbas urges on Israel to live up to Roadmap obligations

Brazil's president has placed a wreath on the tomb of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, despite criticism from Israel.

 

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited Arafat's grave Wednesday during a trip to Ramallah, where he called on Israel to dismantle the West Bank security barrier and lift its blockade on Gaza.

 

"The world cannot accept fences of any kind," he said.

 

During a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Silva said "brave steps" were needed in order to "leave behind half a century of conflict and pain."

 

The Brazilian president said his country decried Israel's controversial decision to build an additional 1,600 apartments in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their future capital, and called for a complete freeze to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank.

 

Silva said the spat between Israel and the US over the construction in east Jerusalem "could help the sides reach a (peace) agreement."

 

The Brazilian leader has said he would like to play a bigger role in Mideast diplomacy. "The region is important to the world and the negotiations are in need of the intervention of new elements, and we can help with this."

 

Abbas, for his part, called on Israel to live up to its obligations as specified by the US-sponsored Road Map for peace initiative, and also demanded a halt to Israeli settlement construction in the "Palestinian territories" and in east Jerusalem so that negotiations may be resumed.

 

Abbas said the Palestinians have no preconditions for returning to the negotiation table. "We simply want the implementation of international resolutions and the Road Map," he told reporters.

 

The Palestinian president urged Silva and the international community to work towards lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza and releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

 

On Tuesday, Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he boycotted meetings with Silva because the Brazilian did not visit the grave of Zionist founder Theodor Herzl.

 

Silva's office said no such visit had ever been planned.

 

There was no immediate Israeli reaction to Silva's visit to Arafat's grave.

 

AP contributed to the report 

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.17.10, 14:32
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