The Palestinian ambassador to Portugal expressed gratitude today to the Portuguese government and people for recognizing the State of Palestine, following a ceremony where the “diplomatic representation” plaque was replaced with an “embassy” plaque.
The ceremony, attended by several ambassadors, diplomats, and members of the Palestinian community in Portugal, took place at the Palestinian embassy in Lisbon after Portugal formally recognized the Palestinian state at the United Nations on September 21.
“We thank the Portuguese government for this historic recognition, something we will always remember and celebrate with pride, joy, gratitude, and appreciation,” stated the ambassador, Rawan Sulaiman, on the sidelines of the ceremony.
“I also thank the Portuguese people, who continue to receive me with such warmth. I am grateful for their support, solidarity, and belief in my people’s right to live with dignity and freedom, without occupation, genocide, ‘apartheid,’ and forced settlements,” she added.
Expressing her happiness and pride in representing the State of Palestine in Portugal, Rawan Sulaiman emphasized that this “historic moment” is not the beginning of new relations but “a new chapter.”
“We have enjoyed beautiful relations with Portugal since the 1980s. Our flag has been hoisted in Lisbon for many years,” she noted, adding that the initiative was to “mark a new chapter in relations, with the changes it brings.”
These relations will now be “State to State,” she reminded.
The ambassador also mentioned that despite “the pain, loss, and devastation, of the grim situation in [her] country,” she feels grateful for experiencing the moment.
“There is always room and opportunity to be happy and proud,” she concluded.
Portugal’s recognition of the State of Palestine occurred during a week when nine other countries made the same decision, during a high-level conference on a two-State solution (Israel and Palestine) in the region, alongside the UN General Assembly.
In addition to Portugal, France, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Malta, the United Kingdom, and San Marino also recognized Palestine.
The decision by Portugal was lauded by the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, who considered it “an important and necessary step” to achieve “a just and lasting peace, based on international legitimacy,” while the ambassador in Lisbon described it as “a clear message” sent to the Israeli government concerning Palestinian rights.
Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador in Lisbon, Oren Rozenblat, rejected Portugal’s “unilateral recognition” of the State of Palestine, calling it a “misguided statement” that “harms any prospects for peace and only rewards terrorism.”
An embassy’s official existence can only occur when the host country recognizes the represented entity as a sovereign state and its leader as ambassador and official representative of the originating country’s interests.
The ambassador has the capacity to negotiate agreements and maintain diplomatic and institutional relations, with the embassy considered territory of the originating country (in this case, Palestine), operating under its laws.
