(Bloomberg) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said world leaders are afraid that Israel may attack Iran if a diplomatic solution over the country’s nuclear program is not reached “quickly.”
Lula, who makes his first trip to Israel next week, said in an interview with Israeli newspaper Haaretz that countries involved in Middle East peace talks have “grown tired” of the process. Bringing new mediators such as Brazil to the table is the only way to advance, according to a transcript of the interview released by the Presidency.
“The leaders I spoke to believe that we must act quickly, otherwise Israel will attack Iran,” Lula said, adding that sanctions against Iran could be counterproductive. “We can’t allow happen in Iran what happened in Iraq. Before any sanctions, we must undertake all possible efforts to try and build peace in the Middle East.”
Lula is the first Brazilian president to travel to Israel. As part of his trip, he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. He will also visit Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and the tomb of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, West Bank.
During the five-day trip, which also includes a stop in Jordan, Lula will reiterate to Israel the Brazilian view that there is still room for negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, presidential spokesman Marcelo Baumbach said yesterday.
Lula is scheduled travel to Iran in May and meet with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Lula has repeatedly expressed support for Iran’s right to develop a peaceful nuclear program and as a rotating member of the United Nations Security Council is resisting calls by the U.S. to toughen sanctions on the country.
The U.S. has enough backing from other nations to approve a fourth round of sanctions against Iran with tougher restrictions, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday. Saudi Arabia may try to persuade China, its biggest oil customer, to go along with U.S. stance, Gates said.
Source: Business Week
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