247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Tuesday (17), during a G7 event in Canada, that"Israel's recent attacks on Iran threaten to turn the Middle East into a single battlefield, with inestimable global consequences".

In his speech, the president spoke about other conflict scenarios."Everyone knows that in the conflict in Ukraine, neither side will be able to achieve its goals through military means. Only dialogue between the parties can lead to a ceasefire and pave the way for lasting peace."

Regarding the genocide committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, Lula was emphatic:"Nothing justifies the indiscriminate killing of thousands of women and children and the use of hunger as a weapon of war. There are still countries that resist recognizing the Palestinian State, which demonstrates their selectivity in defending law and justice."

In his speech, the president also highlighted the crisis in Haiti."The international community remains indifferent to the daily chaos and atrocities perpetrated by organized crime."

Charges to the UN

The president criticized global inaction and advocated for a greater role for the United Nations: "I do not underestimate the magnitude of the task of overcoming all these threats. But it is clear that the leadership vacuum is worsening this situation. Three permanent members of the Security Council and other nations with a tradition of defending peace are sitting at this table. It is time to return the leading role to the UN."

At the event, Lula mentioned António Guterres and asked the UN Secretary-General to lead"a representative group of countries committed to peace in the task of restoring to the organization the prerogative of being the home of understanding and dialogue."

Criticism of military spending

Lula condemned the resources destined for conflicts: "Military spending consumes annually the equivalent of Italy's GDP", noting that"there are 2.7 trillion dollars that could be invested in the fight against hunger and in a just transition".