Brazil’s peace bid
Lula could uncover a new way to get stalled ME talks moving again
BRIC” is modern economic-speak for Brazil, Russia, India and China as the coming global economic power bloc. It is flawed shorthand since, apart from their economic ascendancy, none of these countries has much in common. Indeed there is a good argument that Russia, with its shambolic approach to foreign investment and free markets, does not deserve to be counted with the other three.
However, there is no doubting Brazil’s position as a coming economic superpower. This huge country with a dynamic population and extensive natural resources, not least the substantial recent offshore discoveries, is no longer a classic Latin American basket case. Depending on the measure, it is already the eighth largest economy in the world.
As China is also discovering, with economic power comes global responsibility. Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva yesterday arrived in the Middle East to examine for himself the stalled Palestinian peace process. After talks with the Israelis, he is due today to visit the Palestinian territories and meet President Mahmoud Abbas before going on to Jordan.
Coming hard on the heels of the Middle East visit of US Vice President Joe Biden, Lula’s trip may seem unusual, but it should nevertheless be welcomed. Brazil has never before dipped its toe into the Palestinian whirlpool. While the Brazilians may have much to learn, they also potentially have much to give. Brazil clearly has absolutely no ax to grind. Lula and his people can come to the tragedy that is Palestine and the occupied territories with a blank sheet of paper. It is just possible that with care, Lula could uncover a new way to get the peace process moving again. However, given the cavalier treatment of Biden by the Netanyahu government and its willingness to insult its closest ally by announcing new illegal settlements while the vice president was in town, Israel probably rolled out the red carpet for the Brazilians while thinking their whole mission a joke.
Nevertheless if the Lula administration is sincere in its wish to help and has the patience to deal with a complex web of issues embedded in over 80 years of bitter history since Zionism first invaded Palestine, its contribution could be extremely useful. It might indeed provoke China into also taking a more active role in a Middle East settlement. It is notable that both Beijing and Brasilia are still reluctant to bow to US pressure to ramp up sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, before further negotiations have taken place.
The difference between the Chinese and the Brazilians however is that Brazil does not yet have the permanent seat on the UN Security Council to which it feels it is entitled. If Lula’s trip to the Middle East is designed to advance his country’s UN ambitions, then some in the region may disapprove, if for no better reason than he has taken on one of the very most challenging of world issues. However, by choosing Palestine, Lula may equally be demonstrating Brazil is really serious about playing a bigger world role.
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