AD puts further distance between Portugal’s right and left
Portugal’s relatively new AD social democrat government says it “maintains its position in not recognising the state of Palestine”. This is another indication of the distance in attitudes to the Middle East separating Portugal’s right and left.
The ‘announcement’ was forced by a Left Bloc question at a hearing of the parliamentary committee on European Affairs yesterday, to which foreign affairs minister Paulo Rangel replied: “The Government’s position has not changed. In the current situation, with this window of hope that was the agreement reached for the release of the hostages and the cessation of hostilities and with the massive influx of humanitarian aid, we must maintain this position”.
Rangel agreed that the ceasefire agreement was “a fragile balance”, but believes it could be “the basis for building a true ceasefire and then a negotiated solution” between the two states, Israel and Palestine.
For Rangel, recognition of Palestine is not justified “at this time”.
“It is a symbolic step, others have recognised it and nothing happened,” he said, referring to the stance of various member states (most recently Spain, Ireland and Norway, adding to the list of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovakia, Hungary, Malta, the Czech Republic, Romania and Sweden).
Rangel stressed that he welcomed the increase in the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza since the beginning of the truce, “which went from 18 to 20 trucks a day to 600”, and which “could substantially change the humanitarian situation, which is catastrophic”.
The minister had previously informed the hearing that Portugal has recently given the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) a further contribution of €650,000, in addition to the €10 million it has already sent.
Source material: LUSA
