Sofia Afonso Ferreira, at The Blogs

Jun 6, 2026, 12:19 AM

Confronting antisemitism in a turbulent Europe

Portugal has experienced a notable week of initiatives aimed at supporting the Jewish community and countering antisemitism, amid a broader rise in such incidents across Europe since the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. The surge in antisemitism...

May 10, 2026, 1:23 PM

Portugal’s Antisemitic Surge: RASI 2025 Sounds the Alarm

As Portugal’s annual internal security report – the Relatório Anual de Segurança Interna, or RASI 2025 – lands on desks in Lisbon, it paints a picture that should make even the most optimistic progressive blush. Hate crimes jumped 6.7%...

Apr 25, 2026, 10:58 AM

Echoes of the 1930s in Coimbra: University Rebuked for Antisemitism

Terror-glorifying posters in the heart of Coimbra (Courtesy of the author)

While the University of Coimbra is publicly condemned for shielding antisemitism, it rolls out the red carpet for the Palestinian ambassador – and city authorities look the other way as terrorist-glorifying posters plaster the streets. In a striking display of...

Apr 19, 2026, 3:30 PM

UNICEF’s Selective Urgency: Iran’s Child Victims vs. Gaza

UNICEF’s markedly different public responses to child casualties in Iran’s recent nationwide protests and the ongoing crisis in Gaza reveal a troubling inconsistency in how the organisation prioritises humanitarian emergencies in the Middle East. In the wake of Iran’s protests...

Nov 23, 2025, 4:56 PM

Unmasking Gaza’s Digital Facades

In an era where social media platforms serve as the primary conduits for global discourse, a seemingly minor update to X (formerly Twitter) has inadvertently illuminated one of the most profound deceptions of the digital age. By introducing a...

Nov 3, 2025, 2:02 PM

The ghost victims of Gaza: Unmasking Hamas’s death count

In the fog of war, truth is often the first casualty, and Hamas has mastered the art of selective documentation to serve its agenda. On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters equipped themselves with body cameras, meticulously capturing beheadings, rapes, and...

Oct 5, 2025, 2:45 PM

Leftist Uproar – Jets, Arrests and BDS

This week's controversy erupted when several U.S. manufactured F-35 stealth fighter jets, destined for Israel, made an unscheduled stopover at Lajes Air Base in the Azores, Portugal. The incident sparked backlash from anti-Israel activists and leftist political groups, who accused...

Sep 22, 2025, 11:50 PM

Portugal’s Palestine Recognition Ignites Pro-Israel Protests

In a move that has ignited widespread controversy, yesterday the Portuguese government officially recognized the State of Palestine, joining Britain, Canada, and Australia in a coordinated announcement that has drawn sharp criticism in the country. Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel made...

Jul 15, 2025, 1:28 AM

The Hind Rajab Foundation’s controversial anti-Israel soldier campaign

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Brussels-based non-profit and legal arm of the March 30 Movement, has positioned itself as a champion of justice, seeking accountability for alleged war crimes committed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza....

Nov 26, 2024, 5:27 PM

The last paradise in Europe?

Upon contemplating on the history of Portugal, and taking into account the recent growth of the Jewish community, we cannot help but ponder the lessons it offers about tolerance, the preservation of remembrance and the search for a world...

About Me

Sofia Afonso Ferreira is the Executive Director of StandWithUs Portugal. She currently divides her time between Lisbon and Tel Aviv while working on a book about the war in the Middle East.

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