According to media reports Palestine is expected to receive a formal invitation this month to attend the BRICS 2024 Summit.
Russia is working towards the process to get the Middle Eastern nation to be a part of the summit. Russian news outlet TASS has quoted Palestine’s leader Mahmoud Abbas as stating “We have discussed BRICS. We have reached a verbal agreement that Palestine would be invited in the ‘outreach’ format.”
“We have certainly discussed bilateral relations because we enjoy a very long-standing strategic relationship with Russia,” said Abbas.
Abbas explained that BRICS members have friendly relations with Palestine and will devote special time to the country at the 2024 summit. “It will all be as relevant as possible, considering the fact that the countries of this association are all friendly to Palestine,” Abbas said.
Palestine could discuss the conflict between Israel and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip at the BRICS 2024 summit. Israel and Palestine have been locked in a dispute for decades and the tensions escalated after the October 2023 attacks on Israel. In response Israel has been accused of genocide and the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
BRICS member Iran has also involved itself in the war helping Palestine fight Israel. While the US and other Western allies side with Israel, most of the BRICS countries have shown solidarity with Palestine. The upcoming 2024 BRICS summit will give Palestine a stage to address the world about the alarming situation.
All BRICS countries have voted in the United Nations for Palestine to be admitted as a full member of the UN. BRICS members are China, Russia, Iran, India, Brazil, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia. A total of 143 countries supported the resolution at the UN General Assembly.
Sources:
- We Love Africa, Aug 21, 2024. https://youtu.be/0pRwLvwpOf0
- TASS, August 13, 2024. https://tass.com/world/1828703
- The Cradle, Aug 15, 2024. ‘How a BRICS trio is staring down Israel’. https://thecradle.co/articles-id/26437