The Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro met in special session a week ago and voted by a large majority to repeal a law that established a “Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” The same legislature had met last May to establish September 12 as the “Day of Solidarity,” the anniversary of the massacre of Palestinian civilians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut. The solidarity day was inspired by pro-PLO Deputies.
The Jewish community protested, pointing out that the real reason for the “Day of Solidarity” was not to mourn the victims of the massacre but to use the day to issue anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist and anti-Israel declarations.
The Socialist Governor of Rio, Leonel Brizola, reportedly conceded in private that he agreed to the law establishing the “Day of Solidarity” without realizing its real objective. He then urged the Assembly to repeal the law.
In another development, Brizola declined the request of Farid Sawan, the PLO representative in Brazil, to address the conference of the Latin American section of the Socialist International a week ago, Sawan’s effort to present a resolution on the Middle East was also turned down.
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