Washington, DC -- Washington, DC -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, today strongly condemned Brazil's recognition of the State of Palestine.  He issued the following statement:

"Brazil's decision to recognize Palestine is severely misguided and represents a last gasp by a Lula-led foreign policy which was already substantially off track.  If you couple this with Lula's coddling of Ahmadinejad, it presents a very bleak picture of a government which wants to establish itself as a voice in the world, but is making the wrong choices as it tries to do so.  One can only hope that the new leadership coming into Brazil will change course and understand that this is not the way to gain favor as an emerging power or to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

"As much as I am very disappointed by today's action, I remain a strong supporter of Brazil as a dynamic, diverse democracy which will will one day take its place alongside the world's leading nations.  That's why I agreed to be Co-Chair of the Congressional Brazil Caucus.  Unfortunately, unilateral actions in the Middle East only backfire -- as will today's step. 

"Today's action violates the spirit of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, the 'land for peace' resolution which is the basis of the Middle East Peace Process.  Brazil is sending a message to the Palestinians that they need not make peace to gain recognition as a sovereign state." 

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