BRICS countries to address Palestinian-Israeli conflicto

Pretoria, Nov 21.- The countries of the Brics group will meet today to jointly and extraordinary discuss the current situation in the Middle East, defined by the escalation of violence in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

According to a statement from the current president of the group and president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, along with the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the heads of State or Government of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose incorporation into the BRICS was defined in the last 15th Summit.

According to the text, President Ramaphosa will deliver the opening speech at the Extraordinary Brics Meeting, where member states and guests will also deliver statements on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, it is added in the statement to this effect, will participate in the virtual meeting, at the end of which the participants are expected to adopt a joint declaration with special reference to Gaza.

So far, the document recalls, some 1,200 people in Israel and another 11,000 in Gaza have died since the start of the conflict on October 7.

Today Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa's position on the conflict. Namely, as a government and as a people (South Africans), we remain steadfast in our call for justice for the oppressed Palestinian people.

Also, the president reiterated, we advocate for their rights and aspirations to be fulfilled, for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for accountability for the deplorable massacres of civilians in this recent conflict.

We maintain, Ramaphosa emphasized, that peace (in the Middle East) will not be possible until the Palestinians are free. (Text and photo: PL)