Brasília, March 26, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Yesterday (25), Brazil voted in favor of a United Nations (UN) resolution condemning the assassination of Hamas spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, by Israeli troops. Despite the 11 favorable votes, the United States vetoed the resolution, because it considered the text "unilateral." Only 3 countries abstained: the United Kingdom, Germany, and Romania.

The US Ambassador, John D. Negroponte, explained that the resolution was vetoed because of "the silence on terrorist atrocities committed by the Hamas." Negroponte argued that the text presented by Algeria and Libya in the Security Council does not reflect the reality of the Middle East conflict and "will not lead to progress in the quest for peace and security in the region."

The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations asserted that it will make no official pronouncement about the results of the UN Security Council vote. On the day of Yassin's assassination, however, the Ministry released an official note condemning the Israeli actions. "Brazil deplores the recent actions and retaliatory reactions which set Israelis and Palestinians against each other, and urges moderation and the resumption of negotiations on the conflicting parties, so that the regrettable rekindling of violence does not damage the prospects for peace in the region," the document says.

Brazil has no veto power in the UN, only the right to vote. Historically, the United States votes against resolutions considered detrimental to Israel. Currently, the main item in the proposal to reform the UN concerns the number of permanent seats on the Security Council. A change could democratize the final decisions about conflicts in the world. Brazil is a candidate for one of the permanent seats.

Translator: David Silberstein