'Judges who go to Israel should also go to Gaza,' says coordinator of the Prerogatives group.
Marco Aurélio de Carvalho said that the role of a magistrate is to exercise impartiality after Conib invited ministers of the STF and STJ to visit Israel.
247 - The coordinator of the legal group Prerogativas, Marco Aurélio de Carvalho, described as "at the very least strange" the trip that Brazilian magistrates will make to Israel this month at the invitation of the Zionist entities Confederação Israelita do Brasil (Conib) and Stand With Us Brasil. According to the column by journalist [name missing]. Monica BergamoAccording to Folha de S. Paulo, the lawyer believes that the judges should also extend their visit to the Gaza Strip, a territory frequently targeted by Israeli bombings.
The invitation from the two organizations was extended to ministers of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and the Supreme Federal Court (STF), as well as judges and justices, and proposes an exploration to understand the legal, social, and economic impacts of the conflict between Israel and the Hamas group. Carvalho emphasizes the importance of an impartial approach, suggesting that the delegation also listen to the Palestinians in Gaza to understand the reality of the conflict.
"If the purpose [of the trip] is, in fact, to offer the magistrates the opportunity to learn about the reality of the conflict, we suggest that this delegation visit Gaza. Stay at least one day to be able to listen to the Palestinians and see with their own eyes what is happening," Carvalho emphasized.
"In fact, that's the role of judges. To be impartial, it's important to hear all sides in order to form your own conviction," he added.
The lawyer, however, warns the delegation to be careful if they pass through the conflict zone. "[The magistrates] may not return to tell what they saw, since the far-right government [of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] often bombs civilians."
The five-day trip will also include meetings with the Israeli Defense Forces and events to discuss legal, institutional, and geopolitical issues in the Middle East. In a statement, Conib (Brazilian Israelite Confederation) affirmed that the initiative is private and will be fully funded by the entities involved.
According to the São Paulo Ministry of Health, more than 24 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when the escalation of the conflict began.