Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva said
Monday that talks in search of peace in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians must
target all participants in the conflict, whether they want peace or not.
In his weekly radio program, Breakfast with the President, the Brazilian leader said he is
against the policy of isolating certain actors in the conversation or "incite discord among them."
"If there is a conflict, if there is a divergence, it is no use isolating people. It is necessary to establish a dialogue, a very serious policy talk, so that you can, then, believe it is possible to establish peace in Middle East," he said.
This afternoon, Da Silva will receive the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, after
visits last week of the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and
ten days ago the Israeli President Shimon Peres.
"Few countries have the primacy to greet in 15 days President Shimon Peres, President Mahmoud Abbas and President Ahmadinejad. They are three countries in conflict and have great responsibility for peace in the Middle East," he said.
The Brazilian leader said that it shows that the ability to talk that Brazil has at the moment,
particularly in relation to Iran.
"If Iran is a major player in all this discord, it is important for someone to sit with Iran,talk to Iran and try to establish a balance, to return to some normalcy in the Middle East," he
said.
Da Silva said that the groups in these three countries which are against peace should be
detected and reliable allies should be found for resuming talks.
"I do not accept intolerance of people who believe that you cannot talk. Whoever believes that we cannot talk is as intolerant as those who do not want peace," he said.
He said that he intends to visit Israel, Jordan and Palestine in March 2010 and expects the
response from these countries to confirm the trip.
The Brazilian also said he dreams of organizing a "peace match" between the Brazilian
national football team and a combined Israeli and Palestinian players team.