O “Judaismo” de Jorge Sampaio
Rua da Judiaria
A edição semanal do Jerusalem Post publicou no passado dia 7
uma entrevista bastante interessante com o nosso Presidente, que
parece ter passado completamente despercebida à Imprensa nacional e
aos comentadores do costume.
De uma forma muito diplomática – talvez mesmo desconfortável por
vezes – Jorge Sampaio assume as suas raízes judaicas e responde a
algumas perguntas incómodas do jornalista Michael Freund. Neto de
uma judia de origem marroquina, Jorge Sampaio é, para todos os
efeitos, e perante a Halakhah (a Lei Judaica), um judeu, ainda que
não se reconheça como tal. Desterrado de Portugal, em terras de Los
Angeles, foi com algum orgulho, confesso, que li nas páginas do
Jerusalem Post a entrevista a Sampaio. Longe de Portugal, é mais
fácil para mim distanciar-me das tricas quotidianas da politiquice
nacional. Como judeu, só tenho pena que Sampaio não tenha abraçado
na totalidade o seu judaísmo, agnóstico ou não.
A entrevista merece ser lida na integra.
Aqui vai:
Portugal's president:
'I am proud of my Jewish ancestry'
By MICHAEL FREUND
The Jerusalem Post, Nov. 7, 2003
With its marble floors, ornate furniture, and
rare artwork, Lisbon's Belem Palace could easily compete with some
of Europe's finest museums. Although not a cultural institution per
se, the palace does serve a central function in the life of
Portugal: It is home to the president of the republic, Dr. Jorge
Sampaio.
Sampaio has served as president since 1996, having been re-elected
to a second five-year term in 2001. Unlike in Israel, the presidency
in Portugal is more than just a ceremonial post. He is
commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has the power to
dissolve parliament and call for national elections.
Sampaio would have little difficulty being counted for a minyan: His
maternal grandmother was from a Moroccan Jewish family. His cousin
is president of the Lisbon Jewish community, and Sampaio has several
distant relatives living in Israel.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Sampaio discussed
the rising tide of European anti-Semitism, Portuguese-Israeli
relations, and his Jewish ancestry.
Mr. President, anti-Semitism is on the rise across Europe. Why does
much of the continent seem unable to cure itself of this prejudice?
I have constantly denounced all forms of discrimination and
xenophobia, be it of religious, ethnic, cultural, sexual, or any
other nature. I obviously condemn any form of anti-Semitism.... The
resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe is a fact - although it is not
a pattern - and must also be seen in the framework of the resurgence
of other forms of xenophobia and racial hatred. These manifestations
do exist and we must fight all of them with the same energy,
attacking their causes, and prosecuting those that sow hatred and
violence.
Anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiments in Europe often seem to
be a cover for expressing anti-Semitic feelings under the guise of
political opposition to Israeli policies. Why is Europe so critical
of Israel? Is anti-Semitism a factor?
I believe that we must be careful with our assertions. I am ready to
admit that some criticism of Israel might have some anti-Semitic
motivations. But I absolutely reject that all criticism of Israeli
policies has such motivations. In fact, many people who criticize
such policies have the security of Israel and the well-being of the
Israeli people at the core of their motivations, I for one. I do
believe that Europe's position has strived to be fair and balanced,
even if, sometimes, we have not managed to make our position
sufficiently clear.
The Portuguese Embassy in Israel sits in Tel Aviv, even though
Jerusalem is Israel's capital. Why won't Portugal recognize Israel's
sovereign right to determine its own capital?
I know how important and sensitive this issue is for Israelis and
most Jews. You know the historical context of this situation. We are
bound in this matter by the collective decisions of the European
Union. But I also want to tell you that my sincere wish would be for
our embassy to move to Jerusalem as soon as possible, for that would
mean that peace would finally be at hand.
Portugal was once home to a thriving Jewish community, which was
cruelly persecuted and forced to convert in 1497. Has Portugal come
to terms with what was done to the Jewish people on its soil?
We have come to terms with our own history, with its more brilliant
and with its more shady aspects. The difference now is that all
periods of our history are being studied and that we have today a
much better knowledge of them. The ceremonies which took place on
the 500th anniversary of the Decree of Expulsion, over which I
presided with the then- speaker of the Knesset are proof of all
this.
Five centuries ago, the Catholic Church and the Portuguese
monarchy confiscated Jewish property, including synagogues and other
communal structures. Shouldn't they be returned to the Jewish people
as an act of historical justice?
We cannot rewrite or relive history. We cannot go back centuries. We
cannot today, after 500 years, redress a situation in material
terms. I think we have redressed it in an historical perspective,
and I think that all Portuguese, including Portuguese citizens that
are Jewish, feel comfortable about it.
A growing number of Portuguese descendants of Jews who were
forcibly converted to Catholicism during the Inquisition have
recently begun to return to Judaism. What do you think of this
phenomenon?
We are proud of our history and of our humanistic values, of the
multicultural fabric of our society. If people adopt or return to
Judaism, it is entirely a personal issue that enriches our cultural
dynamics.
I understand that you have Jewish ancestry in your family. What
is your personal connection to the Jewish people? Do you consider
yourself to be a Jew?
My grandmother belonged to a Jewish family that came from Morocco in
the beginning of the 19th century. She married a non-Jewish naval
officer who later was Foreign Affairs minister. I am naturally very
proud of this ancestry and of all those that I call my "favorite
Jewish cousins," one of whom is the president of the Lisbon Jewish
Community, as I am proud of the ancestry on my non-Jewish father's
side. Personally, I am agnostic, and I do not consider myself a Jew; but I am proud, as I said, of my ancestors.
Has your Jewish background ever been an issue for you in
politics?
The answer is no. Portugal, as I have said, is a democratic lay
state. Issues of religion, culture, or race are not and should not
be an issue in the political arena.
You visited Israel twice as mayor of Lisbon, but have yet to do so as the
president of Portugal. Do you have any plans to visit Israel soon?
I would very much like to visit Israel again. I have very strong and enriching
memories of my previous two visits. I follow closely developments in your
country and in the region. The present situation saddens me very much indeed.
And my sincere hope is that, amid all the present difficulties, Israelis and
Palestinians can find a way by which to build peace and to end this tragedy and
all the suffering it has entailed for both peoples.
Excertos do comentário do jornal "O Dia" por Silva Resende
O jornal Tribune Juive, que se publica em França e é
porta-voz das comunidades judaicas fora de Israel e principalmente
as ligadas às lojas maçónicas, embandeira em arco com a eleição de
Jorge Sampaio para a presidência da República em Portugal. E dá à
notícia foros de sensacionalismo: «Jorge Bensaúde de Castillo Branco
Sampaio é o Primeiro Presidente português judeu desde a Inquisição».
Penso que os Portugueses, em geral, desconheciam no actual
presidente essa espécie de dupla nacionalidade que os judeus hoje
reclamam desde que se instaurou o Estado de Israel: como em geral
desconheciam a totalidade dos seus apelidos que reflectem essa
ascendência hebraica, aliás de velhas tradições em Portugal.
Conhecendo se a solidariedade que desde sempre reinou entre os
judeus fazendo deles o único povo que ao longo dos milénios resistiu
a qualquer miscigenação, ficará decifrado o mistério dessa
candidatura, os seus estranhas tempos de intervenção, a surpresa de
certos apoios e a certeza de vitória que desde o primeiro momento
animava os seus oráculos.
Nestas e noutras questões, os judeus não costumam perder.
Evidentemente, a Inquisição é aqui metida como o Pilatos no Credo,
pois que a República se fundou em Portugal em 1910; mas como a
Tribune Juive nada publica em vão, quer significar que à cabeça
do Estado em Portugal é a primeira vez que desde a Inquisição figura
um homem de ascendência judaica a qual — sublinha o jornal —
prenuncia uma lua de mel diplomática entre Portugal e Israel. E
acrescenta: «estas relações eram já excelentes sob os sucessivos
mandatos do irmão Mário Soares».
E continua o mesmo jornal: «Sampaio visitou já duas vezes Tel Aviv.
E a sua primeira permanência em Israel constituiu para ele
verdadeira jornada iniciática pois que, a exemplo da maioria dos
judeus portugueses, não tinha recebido nenhuma educação judaica».
Não falta aqui o próprio testemunho de Sampaio dirigido a Benyamin
Oran, representante diplomático em Lisboa: «quando visitei Israel
senti alguma coisa de muito forte a vibrar dentro de mim e posso
dizer que descobri então dentro de mim a minha condição de judeu».
Para completar a descoberta, a notícia, que certamente a maioria dos
portugueses desconhecem, refere que Sampaio milita desde a juventude
na extrema esquerda e que foi nessa qualidade que o elegeram para a
Comissão dos Direitos do Homem do Conselho da Europa.
E aqui está como estes dados, postos festivamente na Tribune
Juive, foram estranhamente sonegados na imprensa portuguesa.
Silva Resende
In O Dia, 26.06.1996
