He said he was aware of the death of dozens of Palestinians today in the Gaza Strip but did not want to comment on it directly.

The president said he preferred to recall Portugal’s position, which, he said, was equal to the European Union’s that faced with Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel: which is not to accompany the American initiative of seeing one state rather than two.

The president did, however, want to separate these latest events from the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the state of Israel, today.

"It is a reason to congratulate Israel since the Portuguese position is of the existence of two states, with Jerusalem as the capital of both, he said.