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The Jerusalem Post

Portugal slams Palestinian envoy: 'You shouldn't have started the war'

 
Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa gestures near national flags of Israel and Portugal upon landing at Ben Gurion International Airport to take part in a Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial event (photo credit: CORINNA KERN/REUTERS)
Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa gestures near national flags of Israel and Portugal upon landing at Ben Gurion International Airport to take part in a Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial event
(photo credit: CORINNA KERN/REUTERS)

"I know you blame the Israelis, but this time someone from your side started it," said Rebelo de Sousa. "The Palestinian side started it. You can't blame Israel, you shouldn't have started it.

The Portuguese president harshly criticized the Palestinian ambassador after he attacked Israel on Friday.

"Radicalism creates an ambiance of radicalism, and this time the radicalism started from some Palestinians," President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told to the Palestinian ambassador. "That's not an excuse for [the] reaction, it was brutal," responded the ambassador.

"I know, I know you blame the Israelis, but this time someone from your side started it," said Rebelo de Sousa "The Palestinian side started it. You can't blame Israel, you shouldn't have started it."

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 Police officers guard 'The Cenotaph' on the day of a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain, October 28, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Susannah Ireland)
Police officers guard 'The Cenotaph' on the day of a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain, October 28, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Susannah Ireland)

Pro-Hamas demonstrations

"Meanwhile, thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate in favor of Hamas on British Remembrance Day, and locals fear that this will disrupt the day that honors the war dead," Rebelo de Sousa said.

He also added: "I asked the Minister of the Interior to support the police in doing everything necessary to protect the sanctity of Memorial Day. The right to remember, in peace and honor, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for those freedoms must be protected."

Amongst demonstrations by Pro-Palestine supporters in Britain, in the country, he expressed concern that the demonstrations would take place on British Remembrance Day, November 11.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the intention to demonstrate on this particular day a "provocative and disrespectful" act.

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