24 Jan 2022; MEMO: Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva has called for supporting Palestinians' right to establish a state, Quds Press reported yesterday.
Da Silva reiterated his view that the UN should be restructured so that progress can be made regarding major issues such as "the creation of a Palestinian state." The leftist leader also called for ending America's power of veto at the UN Security Council.
According to polls, Da Silva is pulling ahead of his rival, far-right pro-Israel President Jair Bolsonaro, and could win in the first-round of Brazil's election in October, Reuters reports.
Quds Press reported a Brazilian MP saying that Da Silva backed the Palestinian right to self-determination during his reign, as well as supporting the right to establish the Palestinian state.
The 76-year-old governed Brazil from 2003-2010 and his government's social programs pulled millions of Brazilians from poverty. He spent time in jail on corruption charges that were later annulled, allowing him to run for office again.
Current President Jair Bolsonaro is a supporter of Israel and in 2018 said that Palestine is not a state.
