Parliament rejects BE and PCP recommendations to recognize the State of Palestine now

This Tuesday, the Assembly of the Republic rejected resolutions BE and PCP, which recommended that the government recognize the State of Palestine, but many PS deputies voted “not in accordance” with the position of their panel.

At the end of the debate noted by Livre, entitled “The Two-State Solution and the Recognition of Palestinian Independence”, eight resolutions were voted on without the force of law, and only recommendations to the government of the PS, PAN and Livre were approved on the issue.

The PS project received the greatest agreement: its supporters, PSD, IL, BE, PAN and Livre, voted in favor, Chega and PCP abstained, and it recommends to the government “all diplomatic efforts to defend the creation of the State of Palestine, as well as the existence of the State of Israel”, advocating respect for United Nations resolutions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and “the existence of two viable and sustainable states.”

Also approved by the votes of PS, BE, PAN and Livre was Livre’s recommendation to the government “to take appropriate and necessary steps so that Portugal can recognize Palestine as an independent, free and sovereign State as soon as possible.” “possible date” and propose to urgently include an item on this topic on the agenda of the European Council meeting.

The Livre also endorsed recommendations “against the escalation of war in Israel and Palestine” and a call for an immediate ceasefire, just like PAN, which calls for “an immediate end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the establishment of lasting peace.” with the implementation of the two-state solution.”

The disagreement in the PS panel began with a vote on another PAN resolution, which recommends that the government take measures to promote the integration of students, researchers and teachers from higher education institutions in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The PS abstained, as did the PSD and Chega, which allowed the resolution to be approved, but eleven deputies of the PS, as well as IL, PCP, BE, PAN and Livre, voted for it, including Jamila Madeira, Miguel Costa Matos, Iván Gonçalves, Tiago Brandão. Rodriguez or Maria Begoña.

Along the way, a BU resolution was adopted, which asked the government to “immediately recognize the State of Palestine within the borders before the Six-Day War of 1967,” with votes against the PS, Chegi and IL, but with 15 PS deputies. supporters voted in favor (among them Alexandra Leitão), while the PCP, BE, PAN and Livre, as well as four other socialist parliamentarians, abstained.

The range of “disagreement” with the panel’s position, the rule in PS, is on freedom of voting, is increased in the PCP resolution, which did not contain the word “immediately”, requiring the executive to recognize the State of Palestine “in the period before 1967″. borders and with its capital in East Jerusalem, as determined by United Nations resolutions.”

Here 23 PS MPs voted in favor, along with PCP, BE, PAN and Livre, but votes against PS, PSD, Chega and IL stopped the initiative, causing a Socialist MP to abstain.

Another BE resolution, which called for a boycott and sanctions against Israel until a permanent humanitarian ceasefire was achieved in the Gaza Strip, was also defeated, with PS, PSD, Chega and IL voting against in favor of PCP, BE. , PAN and Livre, while ten PS deputies abstained.

At the final stage of the debate, Livre’s only deputy, Rui Tavares, deplored the government’s absence from the debate and stressed that if not for the appointment of his party, the parliament would have been dissolved without a debate on this conflict.

“Let’s call a spade a spade. “Portugal must be a country that walks the world face up,” he said, arguing that Portugal cannot wait for those who “tarry.”

The PS, through Vice-President Pedro Delgado Alves, confirmed that Portugal’s contribution “must be balanced” and that parliament should focus on issues on which the majority agrees.

SDP “MP” Alexander Poso also rejected “simplistic, hasty and reasonable readings”, refusing to “divide and inflame” the conflict even further.