Israel admits having private conversations with the Government about stopping planes in Lajes

Israeli officials do not rule out private meetings with the Government about stopping more planes bound for Israel at the Lajes Base. Paulo Rangel does not clarify whether the Government will allow new stopovers.

A week after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, admitted that he had not been informed about the Passage of three F-35 fighters Americans heading to Israel via the Lajes base, the Government remains unclear whether it will allow new stops of this type in the future.

According to the report, new aircraft deliveries are planned, but Rangel did not respond to questions placed on the topic.

Israel’s ambassador in Lisbon, Oren Rozenblat, confirmed to CNN Portugal that the matter is being discussed discreetly between the governments of Israel, the USA and Portugal. “Such matters are discussed in closed rooms between the parties”, an official source from the embassy also told Expresso.

Rangel’s office recalls that, since April 2024, Portuguese political guidance has been to refuse authorizations for the sale of weapons or war material to Israel. However, the minister avoided clarifying whether this policy applies to the technical scales of military aircraft, such as the F-35, aircraft that have participated in operations in Gaza and Iran. In the last statement, Rangel simply stated that the passage through Lajes “did not strictly violate the Government’s commitment in this matter”, maintaining ambiguity about future authorizations.

Internally, Rangel promised a “determination of responsibilities” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after being taken by surprise by the episode. The Naval Overflights and Stopovers Unit (USEN), responsible for validating flights, authorized the operation without informing him.

The controversy puts the executive in a delicate position. Spain has banned the transit of US weapons to Israel, which makes the Lajes Base an even more crucial point for Washington. Portugal thus faces a diplomatic dilemma: allow stopovers and strengthen the relationship with the USA, or follow the Spanish example and clash with the Trump Administration.