Appeal to the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the recognition of the State of Palestine

Responding to an initiative of MPPM, a significant number of personalities representing the most varied sectors of Portuguese life signed an “Appeal to the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the recognition of the State of Palestine” in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions, and to take action with the other Member States to act in the same direction.

This is the text of the Appeal and the list of first signatories:

APPEAL TO THE PORTUGUESE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE STATE OF PALESTINE!

Since January 1, 2021, in addition to the constitutional obligations that impinge on the conduct of foreign policy, the Portuguese Government assumed, for a period of six months, increased responsibilities in the international context arising from the assumption of the rotating presidency of the Council of European Union.

The Portuguese Government chose the expression “Time to Act” as the motto for its presidency, and this phrase is perhaps the one that best defines the challenge facing Portugal and the European Union.

The Palestinian question is one of the processes that has occupied the international agenda for the longest time and most insistently and in relation to which, it must be said, Europe has a special moral duty. Portugal is therefore required to make a decisive contribution to affirming the primacy of international law and respect for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. These rights were recently reaffirmed in several UN General Assembly resolutions passed by a large majority.

The European Union and the Portuguese Government, in particular, have issued proclamatory statements in favour of international law and have for long maintained a discourse favourable to the two-state solution.

It is imperative to move from words to deeds, to give concrete meaning to formal declarations, otherwise they will become a rhetorical instrument, in practice equivalent to a more or less veiled complicity in the violation of international law.

Indeed, the situation of the Palestinian people is getting worse every day. Israel multiplies abuses and violence, illegally keeps political prisoners in its jails – many without charge, without trial –, extends the construction of the Apartheid Wall, intensifies the illegal colonization of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, continues the expulsion and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population.

Until now, Israel has enjoyed the most absolute impunity. It even has a privileged status in its relations with the European Union.

Despite the recommendation approved by the Assembly of the Republic [Parliament] in December 2014, the Portuguese Government has yet to recognize the State of Palestine. It has even intensified relations with Israel, including at the military level.

It's “time to act”!

We demand that the Portuguese Government, in compliance with article 7 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, recognizes the State of Palestine in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and that it develops cooperation with the new State on all levels of diplomatic relations.

We demand that the Portuguese Government, within the framework of its responsibilities in the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, pursue an active and consistent policy leading to the recognition by the Member States of the European Union of the State of Palestine under the terms laid down in the United Nations resolutions, which must constitute the frame of reference for a fair settlement of the Palestinian issue.

We demand that the Portuguese Government take consistent and determined steps to denounce Israel's systematic policy of violating international law and to draw all the consequences in terms of bilateral relations with that State.

For the recognition of the State of Palestine!

For the primacy of international law!

For the end of the impunity of the State of Israel!

Lisbon, February 16, 2021

First Signatories

Adalberto Alves, Author, Arabist
Adel Sidarus, University Professor (retired), Vice-President MPPM
Afonso Cruz, Author
Alexandre Abreu, Economist, University Professor (Lisbon University, School of Economics & Management)
Alice Vieira, Author
Ana Luísa Amaral, Poet, University Professor (Porto University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities)
Ana Margarida de Carvalho, Author, Journalist
Ana Pires, Trade Union leader, CGTP-Intersindical Nacional Trade Union Central
André Freire, Politologist, University Professor (ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon)
António Antunes, Cartoonist
António Bernardo Colaço, Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice (retired)
António Borges Coelho, Historian
António Vitorino de Almeida, Conducter, Composer
Augusto Flor, Anthropologist, National leadership of Confederation of popular associations
Frei Bento Domingues, Dominican Friar, Vice-President MPPM
Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Sociologist, University Professor (retired)
Bruno Gonçalves, Socio-educational animator
Capicua, Rapper
Carlos Almeida, Historian (Lisbon University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities), Vice-President MPPM
Carlos Matos Gomes, Colonel, Portuguese Army (retired), Military of the April 25th 1974 Portuguese Revolution
Chullage, Rapper
Cláudio Torres, Archeologist, Head of the Mértola Archeological Field
Deolinda Machado, Trade Union leader and member of the Catholic Workers’ League
Fernando Ribeiro, Musician, lead singer Moonspell band
Fernando Rosas, Historian, University Professor (Nova University Lisbon, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences)
Francisco Fanhais, Musician, Chairperson of the José Afonso Association
Helder Costa, Author, Stage director
Heloísa Apolónia, Jurist and environmentalist
Ilda Figueiredo, Economist, President of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation (CPPC)
Inocência Mata, Researcher, University Professor (Lisbon University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities)
Isabel Allegro Magalhães, University Professor (retired), Member of Graal (international women’s movement of Christian inspiration)
Isabel Barbosa, Nurse, Trade Union leader
Isabel Camarinha, General Secretary, General Confederation of Portuguese Workers – Intersindical Nacional (CGTP-IN Trade Union Central)
D. Januário Torgal Ferreira, Catholic Bishop
Joana Villaverde, Plastic Artist
João Rodrigues, Economist, University Professor (Coimbra University)
João Veloso, University Professor, Porto University Pro-Rector
Jorge Palma, Musician
José Barata-Moura, Philosopher, University Professor (Lisbon University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities), former Rector of Lisbon University
José Luís Borges Coelho, Conductor
José Manuel Goulão, Journalist
José Neves, Founding Member of the Socialist Party
José Pinho, President of the Student Union of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Nova University Lisbon
Luís A. Noronha do Nascimento, former President of the Supreme Court of Justice (retired)
Luísa Macedo, President of the Student Union of the António Arroio Arts School
Luísa Sarsfield Cabral, Teacher of Portuguese (retired)
Madalena Santos, Jurist, President of the Portuguese Association of Democratic Lawyers
Mamadou Ba, President of SOS Racism
Manuel Gusmão, Poet, Essayist
Manuel Martins Guerreiro, Admiral of the Portuguese Navy (retired), Military in the April 25th 1974 Portuguese Revolution
Maria do Céu Guerra, Actress, Stage director, President of MPPM
Maria Helena Pato, Teacher (retired)
Maria Manuela Tavares, Researcher (Lisbon University, Institute of Social and Political Sciences), Leadership of UMAR (Alternative and Answer Women's Union)
Marília Villaverde Cabral, Leading Member of URAP (Union of Portuguese Anti-Fascist Resistors)
Mário Moutinho de Pádua, Doctor
Mário Nogueira, General Secretary of the National Federation of Portuguese Teachers’ Trade Unions (FENPROF)
Miguel Vale de Almeida, Anthropologist, University Professor (ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon)
Paula Nunes da Silva, Forestry Engineer, Chairperson of Quercus (Environmentalist Association)
Pedro Pezarat Correia, General in the Army (retired), Military in the April 25th 1974 Portuguese Revolution 
Pedro Tadeu, Journalist
Pilar Del Rio, Journalist, President of the José Saramago Foundation
Regina Marques, Higher Education Professor, Leader of the Democratic Women’s Movement (MDM)
Ricardo Paes Mamede, Economist, University Professor (ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon)
Rita Lello, Actress
Rui Namorado Rosa, University Professor (retired), former Rector of Évora University
Rui Vieira Nery, Musicologist, University Professor (Nova University Lisbon, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences)
Vasco Lourenço, Coronel in the Army (retired), Military of the April 25th 1974 Portuguese Revolution