Nov 20, 2009, 23:05 GMT
Salvador, Brazil - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday called upon Israel to immediately stop expanding settlements on occupied Palestinian land in East Jerusalem, which he referred to as 'the Palestinian capital.'
If Israel continues building on occupied land, Lula stressed, it will be 'complicating the chance for peace, setting obstacles in the way of peace.'
Earlier, he had met with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian National Authority, and accepted his request for Brazil to take on a more active role in efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.
In an interview with a major Brazilian newspaper, Abbas also urged Lula to convince Iran to put an end to its support for the radical Palestinian movement Hamas.
'Iran supports Hamas with money. Hamas' decisions are in the hands of Tehran,' Abbas said.
The remarks were clearly aimed at Lula's next Middle East visitor on Monday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
'I hope (Lula) can tell (Ahmadinejad) a few things about everything that is happening in the Middle East. I think the president will,' Abbas was quoted as saying.
Lula stressed his demand for Israel to end settlements applied not only to the 'withdrawal of the 900 homes' whose construction was allowed Tuesday by Israel, but also the end of all construction activity in the occupied territories.
For Lula, attaining 'fair and lasting' peace in the Middle East requires 'the establishment of a compact, unrestricted Palestinian state that guarantees Israel's security and enjoys respect for its rights and those of its people.'
'The international community cannot settle for less than that,' he warned.
Abbas and Lula met in the historic city of Salvador, Brazil's third-largest city, on the country's northeastern coast.
For the Palestinian leader, Brazil was the first leg of a South American tour that was also to take him to Chile and Argentina.
In a joint press conference with Lula, Abbas praised Brazil for the coexistence within its borders of many different races and religions.
He called upon Lula to take on a more active role in peace efforts for the Middle East - a request that Israeli President Shimon Peres also made during his visit to Brazil last week. Lula accepted the challenge.
'Brazil wants to help build peace in the Middle East. Peace and stability in the Middle East are of interest for humanity, and whatever is of interest for humanity is not foreign to us,' Lula said.
In an interview with the Brazilian daily Folha de Sao Paulo Friday, Abbas urged Brazil to get more involved in the troubled region.
'I know (Brazil) is respected by the Israelis and the Arabs, and by the Palestinians in particular,' Abbas said.
'Brazil, as an important country, and President Lula, as a respected leader, can play an important role. There are many ways of taking action for peace,' he added.
In the interview, Abbas insisted that he will not be a candidate in the upcoming Palestinian National Authority's election, despite requests from various parties including Israel's Peres.
'I will not be a candidate. The decision I have made is final,' he stressed. 'We have institutions, a government, authority, a cabinet, a police corps and stability. I do not think my decision will mean the end of the Palestinian Authority.'
Abbas is scheduled to stay in Salvador till early Saturday, before moving on to the southern city of Porto Alegre, which holds a large proportion of Brazil's Palestinian community.
From Brazil, Abbas is set to travel to Chile, the home of the largest Palestinian community outside the Arab world, with about 300,000 people. In Santiago, he is scheduled to meet with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, before heading to Buenos Aires.
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