In a reception for repatriates from Gaza, PT member claims to have never seen “such brutal and inhumane violence against innocent people”
The President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), stated that Israel “is also committing terrorism” by killing innocent people in the war against Hamas. The statement was given to journalists on Monday night (13.Nov.2023), after receiving the 32 people (22 Brazilians and 10 Palestinians) repatriated from the Gaza Strip.
“At 78 years old, I have seen a lot of brutality. I’ve seen a lot of violence and irrationality. But I have never seen such brutal and inhumane violence against innocent people. Because if Hamas committed an act of terrorism and did what it did, the State of Israel is also committing terrorism,” declared.
Lula said that the act of “terrorism” is it because Israel does not consider that “Children are not at war. By not taking into account that women are not at war. By not taking into account that they are not killing soldiers, but killing children.”.
The Chief Executive said that, in addition to the deaths of innocent people, Israel is “destroying everything that people took decades to build”.
Alongside Hasan Rabee and Shahed Al-Banna, 2 of the repatriates to disembark in Brazil this Monday (13.Nov), the president stated that he will continue the effort to approve a 2nd list of Brazilians and their families who are still in the Gaza Strip .
“I asked them to bring relatives until they were not Brazilians and we will try to legalize these people here in Brazil. As long as there is the possibility of taking someone out of Gaza, let’s do it. Even if you are Palestinian by origin”he declared.
Lula also said that he asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, to make a phone call to the President of China, Xi Jinping. The request was made due to the fact that the Asian country will preside over the UN Security Council this November.
The PT member said he will continue “requiring presidents to behave humanistically, with affection towards children and women”.
In addition to Lula, the First Lady, Rosângela Lula da Silva, Janja, and 6 other State ministers were present to welcome the repatriates, including Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs), Paulo Pimenta (Secom) and Flavio Dino (Justice). The commanders of the Armed Forces were also present. Read the full list below.
The group’s withdrawal from Gaza was carried out after a series of failed attempts. On the 6th (10.nov), crossing the border was authorized, but they could not cross at Rafah, in Egypt, because the checkpoint remained closed.
Initially, 34 people had asked for help from the Brazilian government to leave the region. According to the Ministry of Foreign AffairsHowever, two people gave up on repatriation and decided to remain in the war-torn region.
In Brazil, returnees will stay in accommodation at the FAB (Brazilian Air Force), in Brasília, for two nights. As not everyone has a home in the country and some are Palestinian, the government must offer support and documentation.
Watch the disembarkation (4min4s):
Read the list of authorities present below:
- Squid;
- Paulo Pimenta – chief minister of Secom;
- Márcio Macêdo – chief minister of the General Secretariat;
- Flávio Dino – Minister of Justice;
- Mauro Vieira – Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- Nísia Trindade – Minister of Health;
- Silvio Almeida – Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship;
- Augusto Botelho – national secretary of Justice;
- Celso Amorim – special advisor to the Presidency;
- Andrei Rodrigues – general director of the PF (Federal Police);
- squadron admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen – commander of the Navy;
- General Tomás Miguel Paiva – Army commander; It is
- air lieutenant brigadier Marcelo Damasceno – commander of the Air Force.
REPATRIATION OF BRAZILIANS
Since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, on October 7, 2023, Brazil has carried out another 9 repatriation flights for Brazilians who were in Israel. In total, 1,432 Brazilians and 53 pets were brought to Brazil.
With the exception of the latter, none of the arrivals were attended by Lula. The plane that landed this Monday was the first repatriation flight since the PT member fully returned to active duty.
The president underwent two surgeries on September 29th and therefore remained in isolation at the Palácio do Alvorada, his official home, until October 23rd, the date on which he returned to normal work at the Palácio do Planalto. The 8th repatriation flight landed in Rio de Janeiro on the same day, on October 23, at 4 am.
Here is the list of FAB flights bringing Brazilians from Israel:
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