The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said this Sunday that the world can fight two wars at the same time, but at “very high costs,” especially for the poorest.
“Can the world cope with this? He can cope with it, but it means very high costs, especially very high costs for the poorest segments of the population,” emphasized Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, adding that in wars like the one in Ukraine or Israel, “those who are least suffer, always suffer the most,” be it people, regions, states or continents.
Speaking to reporters in Vouzel at the end of a ceremony to commemorate the victims of the October 2017 fires, the head of state recalled that both conflicts arose in the years following the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving “a burden on the lives of people, communities and states that are now difficult to measure” because that “they are not finished yet.”
Asked whether he agreed with the words of Prime Minister and PS Secretary General António Costa, who argued that Israel has the right to defend itself militarily, but it must also do so with respect for the civilian population of Gaza, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa held difference between ongoing conflicts.
“Whereas in Ukraine we are faced with a conflict between two states, here we are faced with a terrorist attack on a state, but confident that this terrorist attack comes from part of what is not yet a state, but which the United Nations hopes for . could become a state coexisting with the State of Israel,” he explained.
In this context, he stated that “the application here of the principles and values of international law requires sensitivity, caution and a very high level of care.”
The President of the Republic emphasized the efforts that Portugal made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expel the Portuguese who were on Israeli territory.
“Portugal went even further because it provided transport for citizens of other countries who also wanted to leave. It cannot provide transport for everyone, but it can provide transport for those who would not otherwise have the means to create an exit scheme,” he highlighted.
Despite the differences, in his opinion, “the two conflicts are delicate”: in the case of Ukraine, in which “virtually all world powers” are involved, there is a “balance of power that is being discussed,” and in the case of Israel, “There is a problem of the balance of power and the difficulty of finding a way forward.”
“The European Union has played a very important role in all these situations, as has the United Nations, with the space at its disposal, which is often not much,” he said.
According to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, “The European Union knew how to distinguish a terrorist attack from the ongoing economic support it provides to the Palestinian population.”
“This balance and management is so complex and so sensitive that commenting on this reality is not a good idea,” he admitted.
The Islamist group Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a surprise attack on Israel on the 7th of this month, firing thousands of rockets and invading armed militias by land, sea and air.
In response, Israel bombed several Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip from the air and imposed a complete blockade of the territory, cutting off supplies of water, fuel and electricity.
The attacks have already killed and injured thousands of people in both territories.