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The prime minister called for recognition of a Palestinian state, saying such a “legitimate” move was in the European Union’s interest.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called Israel’s “disproportionate response” in the Gaza war a regional and global threat and said recognition of a Palestinian state was in Europe’s “geopolitical interests.”
“The international community cannot help a Palestinian state unless it recognizes its existence,” he told parliamentarians on Wednesday, calling such a move “justice” and “a move that the majority of society demands.” “That’s what we’re doing,” he added.
Mr. Sánchez has long urged the European Union to recognize Palestine, a move that has long been resisted by the Israeli government and its main allies.
Late last month, he signed a joint statement with Ireland, Malta and Slovenia, saying they were ready to “recognize Palestine” if it led to a resolution to the more than six-month-old war in Gaza, which has seen deadly Israeli attacks. Announced. According to Palestinian health officials, at least 33,360 people have been infected.
Spanish government spokesperson Pilar Alegría said on Tuesday that Sanchez will meet with other leaders, including Norway and Portugal, in the coming days to discuss the issue.
The prime minister had already raised the issue of state recognition during his visits to Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar last week, suggesting Spain could recognize Palestine as a state by the end of June.
“The international community as a whole must recognize Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations system,” Sanchez said in an interview with Al Jazeera during a visit to Qatar.
“And, of course, bilaterally in the case of Spain, we are prepared to support and recognize a Palestinian state, because this momentum has to be different from any other momentum we have witnessed in the last 70 years. It is.”
Last week, the Palestinian Authority (PA) formally requested the United Nations Security Council to reconsider its 2011 application for full membership in the world body.
The PA is currently a non-member observer state of the United Nations, the same status as the Vatican. The council is expected to make a decision this month. The United States, a veto-wielding member of the Security Council and a staunch ally of Israel, said the establishment of an independent Palestinian state should take place through direct negotiations between the parties rather than through the United Nations.
Mr. Sánchez also called for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the injection of humanitarian aid into the besieged area, and an Oct. 7 attack inside Israel that killed 1,139 people, captured by Hamas and other armed groups. He has been a vocal advocate for the release of prisoners of war. According to an Al Jazeera tally based on Israeli statistics.
In a speech on Wednesday, Sanchez said Israel’s “grossly disproportionate response” to the Hamas-led attack “overturns decades of humanitarian law and threatens to destabilize the Middle East and, as a result, the entire world.” said.
Separately, Irish Foreign Secretary Michael Martin said on Tuesday that the country would move towards recognizing a Palestinian state in the coming weeks.
Delays in recognition are “no longer reliable or sustainable,” he said.
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