It's time for Palestine to have its April!

Today we celebrate the 47th anniversary of the April Revolution*. We celebrate the end of the long fascist night and the return to the Portuguese people of their freedom and fundamental rights. We also celebrate the end of isolation and the return with dignity to the companionship of nations.

The Constitution of the Republic, enacted 45 years ago, enshrines the essential values – freedom, democracy, social justice, national independence, peace, solidarity –, the rights acquired and also the commitments made, namely in international relations.

If, with regard to the recovery of individual and collective rights, despite advances and setbacks, there has been undeniable progress, in what concerns international relations, Portugal is taking a long time to accomplish the goals of the April Revolution.

It was April's wish, enshrined in the Constitution, that Portugal should be governed by respect “for human rights, for the rights of peoples”.

However, as far as the Palestinian people are concerned, Portugal persists in not recognizing their right to live in freedom in a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State, while their situation worsens every day.

At the same time, Portugal maintains privileged relations with Israel, which multiplies abuse and violence against the Palestinians, illegally holds political prisoners in its prisons, 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.

In the most recent addition to the Constitution, it is stated that «Portugal is committed […] to strengthening the action of European States in favour of democracy, peace, economic progress and justice in relations between peoples».

It is time to show that these are not empty words and that the reiterated commitment to the two-State solution is not mere rhetoric.

In this semester in which Portugal takes on the presidency of the Council of the European Union, it has the opportunity to lead the action for the recognition of the State of Palestine in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions, as a way of doing justice to the Palestinian people and contributing towards the creation of a just peace in the Middle East.

It is time for the Portuguese government to take consistent and determined action to denounce Israel's systematic policy of violation of international law, and to draw all the consequences from this in terms of bilateral relations with that state.

It is time for Portugal to pay its debt of gratitude for the support that international solidarity gave to its liberating struggle, by supporting the Palestinians and other peoples subjected to colonial rule and who have yet to win their freedom.

It is time for the Palestinians to be able to celebrate their April, as a result of their unyielding struggle, but with the encouragement of knowing that they can count on the solidarity of other peoples.

April 25, 2021

The National Directorate of MPPM

* The revolution that, on the 25th April 1974, put an end to the 48 years-long fascist regime