Lula criticises Israel during Paris visit, as German FM voices rare criticism of onslaught in Gaza and West Bank settlements.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused Israel of carrying out “premeditated genocide” in Gaza during a visit to Paris, as it emerged the military had killed at least 52 people in its latest onslaught in the besieged coastal enclave where a crippling blockade is fuelling starvation.
“What is happening in Gaza is not a war. It’s a genocide being carried out by a highly prepared army against women and children,” said Lula at a joint news conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.
“[It is] a premeditated genocide from a far-right government that is waging a war, including against the interests of its own people,” he said of Israel’s 20-month offensive, which has killed at least 54,607 Palestinians so far, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
At least 52 people were killed on Thursday, including women and children, according to medical sources, who spoke to Al Jazeera, amid growing concern about deadly incidents at aid distribution sites run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since last week.
While Lula has previously used the term “genocide” to characterise Israel’s actions in Gaza, Macron has reserved judgement, saying last month that it was not for a “political leader to use the term, but up to historians to do so when the time comes”.
The Brazilian leader’s condemnation of Israel’s offensive came as German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told his visiting Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave in accordance with “prevailing international law”.
Last week, Wadephul had said Germany was assessing “whether what is happening in Gaza is in line with international law” and that arms sales to Israel would be evaluated on this basis.
Wadephul also said he was “concerned about the extremely tense situation in the West Bank”, decrying the Israeli government’s announcement that it would allow 22 more settlements in the occupied territory, saying it threatened the two-state solution further.
On Thursday, King Abdullah of Jordan praised Spain for recognising Palestine and calling for an end to the war in Gaza during a meeting with King Felipe in Madrid. He said work was underway to gain European support.
Jordan’s state news agency Petra cited him as saying work was under way to harness European support for an Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents, as threatened by US President Donald Trump this year.