^{The Israeli Ambassador to Portugal, Oren Rozenblat, with co-chair of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Haskel, and Portuguese politician Pedro Frazão (Credit: @pedrodossantosfrazao)}

The Portugal Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus launched on Monday. This is the organization’s 54th pro-Israel parliamentary caucus worldwide. These caucuses primarily focus on faith-based diplomacy, engaging Christians and others who support Israel for religious reasons.

The Portugal caucus will be bipartisan, led by representatives from two major political parties: Liliana Reis of the Social Democratic Party, and Pedro Frazão of the Chega Party. It is not surprising that the initiative is only represented by deputies from the Portuguese political right, as Israel, the people of Israel, its culture, religion, activities and success are viewed with bad eyes by the political left.

In a society that is politically dominated by wokism, the accession of members of both parties to the pro-Israel initiative is a significant step. The Social Democratic Party has been a mainstream political association since party democracy was established in Portugal half a century ago, while the Chega party is much more recent.

However, both political parties are far from being philosemites. The social democrats are in the government of Portugal and have not even chosen a coordinator for the promotion of Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism. As for the Chega party, its program includes combating antisemitism, but no action has ever been taken by this party in defense of the Portuguese Jews.

Yesterday, Pedro Frazão emphasized his support for the Jewish people. “As a sovereign state, Israel ensures that no Jewish person will be left unprotected or without a homeland,” Frazão said. “Israel's existence is a deliberate choice, embodying the strength and resilience of the Jewish people and their right to self-defense. This is not just symbolic—it is a steadfast promise to protect every Jew's right to live in peace and security.”

Miriam Assor, the most renowned Jewish journalist in Portugal, welcomes this new initiative "in a country where Israel is isolated and full Jewish life is threatened by many factors". From Krakow, where she is at a congress of the European Jewish Association, Assor goes further: "I recently sent a questionnaire to some personalities in Portuguese politics, including some representatives on this new platform, about Jewish life in Portugal. Unfortunately, nobody really knew anything."

Madelena Barata, director of the new Caucus, believes the project can play an important place in defending the Jewish state. "It is especially significant that the IAF is now active in Portugal. Israel stands as the guarantor that no Jew will ever be without defense or a home. That's why it's crucial to build networks that support and protect Israel.”

Miriam Assor believes that "the creation of this organization in Portugal is a very positive idea. However, the ideas are only achievable if the project has people with nerve, strength and culture."

MK Sharren Haskel, co-chair of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and now Deputy Foreign Minister, attended the Caucus launch event in Lisbon. She remarked, “By attending the launch of the Portugal Israel Allies Caucus in Lisbon, we are sending a powerful message of solidarity between our nations,” she said. “At a time when support for Israel is more vital than ever, I thank the members of the Caucus for their commitment to strengthening our bilateral relationship, reinforcing our shared values, and contributing to Israel’s security."

The network of allied caucuses began in 2004 with the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and expanded in 2006 when the U.S. Congress launched its bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, now the largest of its kind.

Today, the network spans parliaments on six continents, offering a powerful platform to strengthen ties with Israel. “IAF Europe is evolving into a movement, acting as a diplomatic 'Iron Dome' protecting Israel from international lawfare,” said Leo van Doesburg, executive director of IAF Europe. “Our mission is to shift politicians from anti-Israel rhetoric to fact-based dialogue. With our 20th European caucus now in Portugal, we expand our reach across Europe and look forward to strengthening partnerships.”