“It is important not to take refuge in rhetoric and to fully understand the purpose. We understand that being the United States and part of NATO, there may be issues of no right to limit use, but it is still important for the minister to clarify effectively the destination of these planes,” said PAN leader in Porto today.
Speaking on the sidelines of a campaign event for the independent candidate of the Porto movement, Filipe Araújo, supported by PAN, Inês Sousa Real emphasized that “if the destination was Israel and if this destination was known, it is evident that Portugal must position itself, from an international standpoint, to ensure that human rights prevail over any economic, commercial, or even institutional interests between Portugal and Israel.”
“At this moment, the genocide happening in the Gaza Strip must prompt all member states, without exception, to unequivocally stand by human rights and the thousands of children currently deprived of their childhood, and the innocent civilians losing their lives in this massacre in the Gaza Strip,” she underscored.
Thus, “more than taking refuge or hiding behind rhetoric to justify, probably, the unjustifiable, it is important for Nuno Melo to clarify the country and, above all, for the situation to be understood effectively.”
When questioned about BE’s call for the minister’s resignation over this case, the sole PAN deputy stated that this is “the time for clarifications,” admitting, however, that “Portugal may have been left out of some knowledge and information.”
“Giving the benefit of the doubt, what PAN understands is that first, it is the time to seek clarifications, but we ask for transparency regarding the information to the country,” she stressed.
Inês de Sousa Real also deemed it “fundamental that the Government supports and ensures the protection not only of the Portuguese on the flotilla but also positions itself, internationally, to ensure no coercion over those who were detained, particularly Sofia Aparício, Mariana Mortágua, and Miguel [Duarte],” so that they “can return safely to Portugal.”
“And we want more: we cannot forget that the Assembly of the Republic approved, just last week, a PAN proposal aiming to open humanitarian corridors for injured and orphaned children in Gaza to be helped, and that the humanitarian corridor should initially open by assisting injured children who have no means to be rescued,” she noted.
The Prime Minister expressed regret today over a “procedural error” related to U.S. aircraft that stopped over in Lajes en route to Israel but dismissed any resignation from the government over this issue.
On the sidelines of a local government initiative in Nazaré, Luís Montenegro addressed journalists regarding information released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) about three U.S. aircraft stopping at the Lajes base on their way to Israel, without prior communication to the Portuguese government.
“I regret that there was a procedural error initially when the issue was raised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is now identified and there’s nothing more to say about it, as everything else proceeded in a perfectly normal manner,” he stated.
