Minister of Foreign affairs put on spot by left wingers
Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel announced today that he has given an unfavourable opinion on the export of arms and ammunition to Israel, in the context of the country’s ongoing war against Islamist movement Hamas.
“I gave an unfavourable opinion on any arms exports to Israel. I did so about a fortnight ago. That point has to be made very clear,” said Rangel, during a hearing requested by the Left Bloc and PCP on the situation in Gaza.
The head of Portuguese diplomacy was responding to a question from PCP Communist MP Paula Santos about the Portuguese government’s position on the continuation of the association agreement between Israel and the European Union (EU).
He said that he “would not be in favour of suspending the agreement in principle”, but said that “it is obvious that there are measures that must be taken“, giving the example of the “unilateral measure” adopted by Portugal in relation to exports.
It was only last week that President Marcelo also assured students holding a protest against their university’s links with Israel that the government’s position regarding the ongoing conflict was ‘changing’.
Source material: LUSA
