There is a new controversy involving Israeli Ambassador Oren Rosenblat and Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel arose over the ambassador labeling Portugal as "extremist" if the country backs the suspension of the European Union's association and trade agreement with Israel.
In an interview with RTP’s Consulta Pública radio program, Ambassador Oren Rosenblat explicitly asserted that if Portugal supports suspending the EU-Israel trade accord, it would step into "extremist" territory. He lumped Portugal together with Spain and Ireland.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel dismissed the diplomat's comments. He clarified that discussing the suspension of agreements with Israel is standard diplomatic discourse and that Portugal has openly debated supporting a partial suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, rather than cutting commercial ties completely.
Tensions were already high after Rangel formally summoned the Israeli Ambassador following the detention of two Portuguese medical activists aboard the Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla. Participants of the flotilla complained of bad treatment both during their interception by Israeli forces, and subsequently upon their arrival back in Spain.
Paulo Rangel, Portugal's Minister of Foreign Affairs, strongly criticized the treatment inflicted by Israel on participants in the Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla, but he did not criticize Spain, despite upon the activists' return and deportation to the Bilbao Airport in the Basque region, they were met by a heavy-handed police response. Footage of Spanish police officers dragging activists on the floor and striking them with batons caused widespread anger on social media.
The friction triggered a wave of reactions across Portugal's political spectrum and mainstream media outlets. Media and opinion makers broadly condemned the ambassador's aggressive rhetoric and accused him of violating basic diplomatic decorum. Parties like the Left Bloc (BE), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), and the Socialist Party (PS) viewed the ambassador's remarks as an unacceptable overreach and an insult to sovereign foreign policy. They used the escalating tensions to push the government for a clearer, more courageous stance against Israel, arguing that Portugal must not be intimidated by foreign diplomats trying to police domestic policy debates.
