Paulo Raimundo, secretary-general of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), has today accused minister for foreign affairs Paulo Rangel of having committed a “political crime” by visiting Israel, arguing that the trip denotes connivance with policies being carried out by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking to journalists after visiting an association of pensioners in Vale Figueira, Loures, Raimundo said that, in the last few hours, the government has committed “two political crimes” with regard to Israel and Palestine. First, was not taking advantage of recent statements by Donald Trump to “immediately recognise the state of Palestine” – something the centre-right government keeps saying ‘is not the right time to do’ – and second was the trip to Israel and the West Bank at such a critical moment.
