Brazil Recognizes Palestinian State

On Saturday, Israel said it was disappointed by Brazil's decision to recognize a Palestinian state within the country’s 1967 borders, saying it went against all efforts to bring about a peace deal. ' " " "

The decision was announced by outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a public letter addressed to Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, which was publicized by Brazil's foreign ministry on Friday, AFP reported.

"The government of Israel expresses sadness and disappointment over the decision by the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a month before he steps down," a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry declared.

"Recognition of a Palestinian state is a breach of the interim agreement which was signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1995 which said that the issue of the status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be discussed and resolved through negotiations," it continued.

The move also disregarded the 2003 Middle East roadmap for peace, which said a Palestinian state could only be established through negotiations, according to the statement, and warned that one-sided moves forward would prove detrimental to trust and progress.

"Every attempt to bypass this process and to decide in advance in a unilateral manner about important issues which are disputed, only harms trust between the sides, and hurts their commitment to the agreed framework of negotiating towards peace."

Lula's letter was sent as a response to a personal request made by Abbas on November 24, the Brazilian document noted.

The move by Brazil comes as peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are at a stand still, following the end of a temporary ban on Jewish settlement building in the West Bank.

Abbas says he will not return to negotiations while Israel continues to build on land the Palestinians want as part of their future state.

Israel has, thus far, refused to enforce a new ban.