Lisbon, Dec. 19, 2025 (Lusa) - Four organisations, including the trade union confederation CGTP, on Friday called on the Portuguese Government to remove the Portuguese flag from a ship carrying military equipment bound for Israel and "not to be complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people".
The position was conveyed today by four organisations to the ministry of foreign affairs, in Lisbon, demanding that Portugal "inspect the cargo of the ship “Holger G” and, if it is confirmed that military equipment is being transported to Israel, immediately order the removal of the Portuguese flag".
In addition, the movements are asking the government to prohibit the ship from transiting Portuguese territorial waters and, in future, not to allow it to enter Portuguese ports.
The position, addressed to Minister Paulo Rangel, is signed by the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers - National Trade Union (CGTP-IN), the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation (CPPC), the Movement for the Rights of the Palestinian People and Peace in the Middle East (MPPM) and the Ruído Project - Youth Association.
They ask that "Portugal not be complicit in the continuation of genocide, because this military material will certainly be used by Israel in the continuation of its aggression, genocide, and occupation attacks in the Palestinian territories," Isabel Camarinha, president of the CPPC, told Lusa on Friday at the Palácio das Necessidades, headquarters of the ministry of foreign affairs, where she delivered this document.
According to several organisations, the ship, registered in Madeira, left India on the 2nd of November with 440 tonnes of military equipment bound for Haifa, Israel, where it is scheduled to arrive on the 31st December.
"The Portuguese Government, which has recognised the State of Palestine, is doing nothing to respect the Palestinian State and the rights of its people, who continue to be the target of genocide and occupation that violates all the principles of international law," said Isabel Camarinha.
The organisations are calling on the Portuguese Government to "comply with its obligations under international law, international humanitarian law and the treaties, pacts and conventions to which Portugal is a party".
"What concerns us most is that the Portuguese Government does not want to be a friend to both Israel and Palestine, because at this moment the Palestinian people continue to suffer," added the CPPC representative.
Speaking to Lusa by telephone from Warsaw, where he is on an official visit today, minister of foreign affairs Paulo Rangel said he was aware of this ship but declined to comment.
The four movements had requested a meeting with the minister and announced their intention to deliver their position statement, but received no response from the Foreign Ministry and so went to the Necessidades Palace today.
"Strangely, we had the unusual experience of speaking to a deputy [of the minister] outside the door of the ministry of foreign affairs," reported Isabel Camarinha, lamenting "a show of disrespect for the organisations and for this very serious matter".
The delegation also included Carlos Almeida, from the MPPM, Dinis Lourenço, from the CGTP, and Inês Jorge, from Projeto Ruído.
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