AJC Calls Brazil, Argentina Recognition of Palestinian State Unhelpful and Counterproductive

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Dec 06, 2010, 02:12 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC called the recognition of an independent Palestinian state by Brazil and Argentina a worrisome and counterproductive development.

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"Such a commitment to the Palestinian Authority by Brazil and Argentina is fundamentally unhelpful to the Arab-Israeli peace process," said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's recent letter to PA President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed recognition of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner made a similar announcement today.

"Circumventing the established peace process will only encourage the PA to unilaterally declare independence, a move that would undermine the prospect for durable peace that can only emerge as an outcome of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations," Harris said.

"If Latin American countries truly want to support Arab-Israeli peace, they should be pressing President Abbas to return to the direct talks that were revived with U.S. assistance three months ago, and suspended a few weeks later by Abbas," said Harris. "Otherwise, however unintentionally, they are only further complicating an already complex situation and, for practical purposes, throwing a diplomatic monkey wrench into the process."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee