Hesitation in the Socialist Party, war crimes in Gaza

The defeat in the legislative elections that transformed the Socialist Party into the third-largest parliamentary force seems to have left the party founded by Mário Soares at a loss for what to do with itself. After elections that were nothing more than an enthronement of José Luís Carneiro—the only one who dared to challenge Pedro Nuno Santos, it must be said—the new Socialist general secretary has resorted to all his diplomacy and moderation to avoid hurting sensibilities and trying to please all wings of the party. This hinders his own assertion.

The presidential election bid is the most glaring example. Faced with the advancement of former PS secretary-general António José Seguro, whom polls indicate has a chance of a good result, Carneiro hesitates, doubts, and postpones any decision until after the local elections. He constantly seems to be giving in to the "Costa" wing, for whom the motto of these elections seems to be "everyone but Seguro," even if it leads to a resounding defeat. For these, driven by long-standing hatreds, it seems of little importance that the PS has not presented a candidate with a real chance of becoming president. First, they wanted António Vitorino, then Augusto Santos Silva (!?), then Sampaio da Nóvoa, and now they seem determined to support Mário Centeno at all costs. And José Luís Carneiro, missing an opportunity to assert himself in the eyes of the Portuguese people, hesitates in supporting Seguro.

A second example is the creation of the PS's so-called Strategic Council, a body whose objective is to reflect on the country we want to be by 2050. A project that could have served to establish the Socialist Party in civil society by recruiting new staff and specialists in various fields seems to have given in to the easy way of recruiting the same old people—precisely those who will no longer be here by 2050. The technical or political competence of some of them is not in question. But relying on many of those who are also responsible for the state of the country to reflect on the path forward does not seem like sound policy.

Over the years, Israel has benefited—and rightly so—from a degree of tolerance from Western governments whenever it responded disproportionately to attacks from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Its historical past, the fact that it is the only democracy in the region, and the fact that it faces groups whose primary objective is its annihilation have always contributed to a favorable opinion of Israel, despite protests from far-left groups that profess humanism but seem unconcerned about siding with terrorist groups.

However, what is happening in Gaza transcends all barriers. Yes, Israel has the right to defend itself from the macabre terrorist attack of October 7th, but that does not give it the right to ignore all the laws of war or international law. Surrounding populations and purposefully keeping them in need, so that they succumb to starvation, is a war crime. If Russia had done in Ukraine what Israel has done in Gaza, there would already be unanimous condemnation from European states, politicians from the left to the right, and a very strong international mobilization to stop the genocide. Starving children to death is not self-defense. Israel's actions in Gaza must stop.

By my own decision, this is my last issue as editor of Nascer do SOL . Over these short but intense four months, I hope I've fulfilled the commitment I made to readers during my first week in office: to bring our community essential information on national and international news, presented in an impartial, fair, and balanced manner, to reflect on topics of generational interest, to listen to all voices—even the most uncomfortable ones—to be a space of tolerance, where it's possible to disagree without insulting, to debate without attacking, to reflect without demeaning.

This was only possible thanks to the small but dedicated team—one of the most dedicated I've ever seen—who welcomed me with open arms and who, every week, publish the newspaper they hold in their hands with one goal in mind: to provide a good service to the reader and the community in which we live. My sincere thanks to them. Now, as a simple reader once again, I will continue to follow their work from afar.

I also thank Nascer do SOL's readers for their unique loyalty and active participation in the newspaper's life, and the outgoing Newsplex administration for the challenge they presented me with at the beginning of the year. I wish the new administration and the board of directors taking office this Friday the best of luck. May Nascer do SOL have a prosperous future. The readers, the country, and democracy are grateful.