Brasilia  - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday called upon the United Nations to play a key role in the resolution of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip which has claimed hundreds of lives.

"The UN must exercise an important role. It is important for the Security Council resolution that defined the need for a peace agreement to be respected, both on the Palestine side and on the part of Israel," Lula said in his weekly radio programme, Breakfast With the President.

He also spoke of the tour that Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim made through the Middle East, meeting with authorities in Syria, Israel, and the Palestine territories.

"(Brazil) wants to participate actively, to be able to find definitively the road to peace in that territory," Lula stressed.

He called not only for a ceasefire in the current conflict but also for a broader negotiation that leads to the creation of a Palestinian state that is able to coexist with Israel.

"The existence of two states that have diplomatic ties, that can develop, progress, is fully possible. I believe the Palestinian people deserves that chance," he said. (dpa)