Brazil implemented a free trade deal with the Palestinian Authority, which had been pending ratification for over ten years. This move was a gesture of support for the Palestinian people.
Brazil’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that “the agreement is a concrete contribution to an economically viable Palestinian state, which can live peacefully and harmoniously with its neighbors.”
Brazil confirmed on Friday the 2011 trade deal between the Palestinian Authority and the South American Mercosur trading bloc. Additionally, Brazil permits the construction of a Palestinian embassy in its capital and acknowledges a Palestinian state.
A source in the foreign ministry revealed that Uruguay supported the Palestine pact. Notably, there was no opposition because Mercosur had a similar arrangement with Israel.
It was unclear if other Mercosur nations would take a cue from Brazil. President Javier Milei’s right-wing administration in Argentina is not anticipated to act in this manner. A request for comment was not immediately answered by Paraguay’s foreign ministry.
Ibrahim Al Zeben, the Palestinian ambassador in Brasilia, hailed Brazil’s move as “courageous, supportive, and timely.”
In a letter to Reuters, he described it as “the effective way to support peace in Palestine.” He also expressed hope that Palestine’s existing $32 million annual trade with Mercosur will increase.
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