Jerusalem, ALRAY - The Brazilian municipality of Belém has announced the freezing of all institutional relations with Israeli occupation including the cancellation of the “twinning agreement” with the municipality of Tel Aviv.

Mayor Edmelson Rodriguez said it was “in response to Israel's crime of apartheid against the Palestinians and its repeated violation of their rights”.

The State of Palestine website quoted Rodriguez as saying that his city is an apartheid-free zone. He condemned “Israel's expulsion of a people from their ancestral lands which is considered a real apartheid”.

Belém, the capital of the state of Pará in the Amazonas, is famous for bringing together indigenous people and other inhabitants in the struggle for justice and the promotion of solidarity.

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the largest coalition in Palestinian society, welcomed the decision of the mayor of Belem and urged cities around the world to follow suit, free themselves from complicity in apartheid, and solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle.

Solidarity campaigns with the Palestinians have recently witnessed great activities in many Western and American capitals and cities, condemning the occupation and apartheid policies.

Many universities and student councils in Western and American cities announced the boycott of the Israeli occupation state after organizing student and academic events there.

Also in this context, the decision of this Brazilian municipality was preceded by two similar decisions taken earlier by the Municipality of Barcelona and the City Council of Liège in Belgium.

The Oslo City Council in Norway has also ruled out public procurement companies that directly or indirectly contribute to Israel's illegal enterprise.

Amnesty International has described the Israeli occupation as an “apartheid” state. It condemns Israel's killing and torture of Palestinians.

It confirmed that Israel deprives Palestinians of their rights which is considered a “crime against humanity”.