Safadi, Brazilian counterpart discuss bilateral ties, war on Gaza

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Monday discussed means of enhancing bilateral relations and efforts to halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza and facilitate the delivery of aid to the war-torn Strip.

Safadi and Vieira held extensive talks, stressing the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation and build on the longstanding friendship between Jordan and Brazil, which extends to over six decades, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Speaking at a joint press conference following the talks, Safadi said, "We agreed to carry out a comprehensive study to identify sectors in which we can achieve greater cooperation, as well as to schedule regular meetings to ensure the implementation of steps aimed at enhancing cooperation in vital sectors such as trade, politics, investment, defence and agriculture, where Brazil has advanced expertise and Jordan attaches priority to this field."

Several agreements will be finalised to expand our cooperation, Safadi added.

Underlining the need to address the ongoing aggression against Gaza, Safadi noted that both sides see eye-to-eye on the Israeli aggression on Gaza, describing it as a crime that must stop immediately, adding that "the massacres of the Palestinian people in Gaza must stop".

Regarding Israel's actions in Gaza, Safadi stressed that they constitute violations of international law and war crimes for which it must be held accountable.

"After more than five months of this aggression, we reject any attempt to justify it. Killing innocent people, including more than 12,000 Palestinian children, is not self-defence," Safadi said.

He expressed his appreciation for Brazil's firm stance during its presidency of the Security Council, which, he said, “unfortunately still failing to play its role in enforcing international law and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people”.

"This war will not achieve security for Israel or regional peace. Security and peace for Israel, Palestine and the entire region require an end to the occupation and the realisation of an independent sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital," Safadi said.

For his part, the Brazilian foreign minister conveyed the greetings of the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to His Majesty King Abdullah and extended his congratulations on the occasion of His Majesty's Silver Jubilee.

Vieira reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Jordan, highlighting the importance of the recently implemented technical cooperation agreement and the growth in bilateral trade between the two nations.

He also noted that his discussions with Safadi touched on the challenging times and difficulties currently facing the region, emphasising Brazil's position that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “intolerable” and that Israel's response cannot be justified.

Highlighting Brazil's efforts to halt the war during its presidency of the Security Council last October, He emphasised the urgent need to prevent the war from spreading, cautioning that any miscalculation could trigger an unpredictable and potentially devastating conflict.

Vieira underscored the importance of upholding Muslims’ right to freedom of worship. He also emphasised the need for Muslims to have unrestricted access to Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif in East Jerusalem and to maintain its historical status quo.

He called for the prevention of arbitrary actions by extremists and urged Israel to persist in peace talks with Palestine and to commit to the two-state solution, with a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace and security.

Vieira also condemned the construction of Israeli settlements and reaffirmed his country’s opposition to any attempts to displace Palestinians.

In response to a question regarding tensions in Brazilian-Israeli relations, Vieira said, “We maintain positive relations with the Israeli people and advocate for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. He also said "During our presidency of the Security Council, we endeavored to rally support for a resolution aimed at a ceasefire and the initiation of negotiations when the death toll was 3,000. However, now that the death toll has escalated to 32,000, we are determined to halt