Portugal must recognize the State of Palestine, supporting the Luxembourg initiative

The Palestinian people have been waiting 72 years for the realization of the promise made to them by the UN, in 1947, of the creation of a Palestinian State in the territory of Palestine. Over the decades, successive UN resolutions have reaffirmed this commitment. Many countries have already taken the decision to recognize the State of Palestine, in a concrete expression of solidarity with its people's cause. The Assembly of the Republic [Parliament] in Portugal has already recommended full recognition of the State of Palestine.

Now comes the news of the initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg calling for a debate between all EU member countries leading to the recognition of the State of Palestine. In early December, Jean Asselborn, the Luxembourg Minister for Foreign Affairs, sent Josep Borrel, the new EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, and his EU counterparts a letter stating namely: “The recognition of Palestine as a state would not be a favor or a blank cheque, but a simple recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to their own state.”

Jean Asselborn raised the issue during the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 9 December, and Josep Borrell indicated on that occasion that he intends to organize the debate at the next Foreign Affairs Council meeting to be held in January 2020.

In this context, and given the continuing worsening of the situation in Palestine — of which the United States' declaration that Israeli settlements are not illegal is just the latest example — the Portuguese government has a duty to stop condoning, not to say being complicit in, Israel's escalation of illegal and criminal actions, a particularly negative example of which is the recent reception given at the highest level to the current Prime Minister, Netanyahu, during his meeting in Lisbon with Michael Pompeo.

In obedience to the constitutional imperative to which the Portuguese government is bound, underlined by the recommendation approved by the Assembly of the Republic on December 12, 2014, Portugal should have already formally recognized the State of Palestine, as more than 135 countries have done, including several from the European Union. However, while maintaining diplomatic relations and deepening cooperation with the State of Israel, the Portuguese government has maintained a faltering position on the matter, which it justifies with the need for a European consensus, a precaution it dispensed with when it rushed to recognize a self-proclaimed “president” of Venezuela.

In view of the Luxembourg minister's announcement, the question is: what position will the Portuguese government adopt on that initiative? Will the Portuguese government maintain the same position it has adopted thus far, complicit in the violation of international law and legality that the State of Israel practices on a daily basis? Or, on the contrary, will it intervene resolutely towards the recognition of the State of Palestine? And, accordingly, as a sovereign country that is governed by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and by respect for international law and legality, will it take the step of recognizing the State of Palestine? If, as it states, “Portugal defends a just and lasting solution to the conflict, in compliance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, which would allow the State of Israel and a contiguous, independent, democratic and viable State of Palestine to coexist in peace, security and mutual recognition”, so we have the right to demand that the Portuguese government be firm and consistent with this principle, striving at all times for its implementation.

It is time to act. Justice cannot wait any longer. The Palestinian people must finally see the promise, made by the UN in 1947 but never kept, of the constitution of an independent state come true.

19 December 2019

The National Directorate of MPPM