Spain faces a diplomatic crisis with Israel due to President Pedro Sánchez's statements about a possible unilateral recognition of the Palestinian State, if the international community does not make joint decisions in that direction.
“The time has come for the international community, and especially European countries, to make a decision on the recognition of the Palestinian State,” he stressed. And, then, he pointed out that it would be worth working together for it, “but if that does not happen – he added – Spain, of course, will make its own decisions.”
Sánchez's statement, made this Friday in Rafah (Egypt) together with the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander Croo, has not pleased the Israeli Executive, whose Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the ambassadors of both countries “for a harsh reprimand” when considering the words like “support for terrorism”.
The president, who met this Thursday in Jerusalem with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has already transferred the “political solution” to the conflict and the commitment to the recognition of the two States as a possible solution to the current situation in Gaza, to which was met with a forceful reaction from the Israeli president.
“They are fighting to eliminate the Jewish state”. The Israeli leader, who has been at war with Hamas for more than 40 days after the terrorist attack on October 7, did not hesitate to publicly respond to Sánchez's request for a “political solution.”. “We are facing a peculiar type of enemy, especially cruel and inhumane,” he asserted.. “They are genocidal, they are not fighting for this or that territory, they are fighting to eliminate the Jewish State at any border they say,” he continued in his story.
“What is a democracy that is committed to the laws of war supposed to do? Do these laws provide exemptions to these criminals?” he asks.. Given this, Netanyahu says that “if we don't enter, we lose.”
“Israel has the right to self-defense”
After the meeting, the Spanish president gave details of his conversation with the Israeli and pointed out that “Israel has the right to self-defense, but it must respect international law and humanitarian law.”. The socialist president pointed out on his X account, formerly Twitter, that “it is urgent to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”
“We must hold an international peace conference as soon as possible with all the parties involved. Today the solution to the conflict involves the materialization of two States, Israel and Palestine, that coexist in peace and security,” he added.
EU and Canada close ranks on two-state solution
The European Union and Canada have pointed out this Friday the “worsening” of the humanitarian crisis in the Strip and have expressed their support for reviving the political process based on the two-state solution.
Within the framework of the summit held in St. John's, Brussels and Ottawa, Canada, have underlined the “deep concern” about the “worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza”, highlighting the importance of launching “urgent and expanded humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Strip” , as the United Nations Security Council resolution emphasizes.
“We reaffirm the imperative to protect civilians and ensure full compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law,” the joint statement states.
In this sense, Canada and the EU reiterate the importance of urgent and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza “through all necessary measures.”
Regarding the future of the conflict, the European bloc and the North American country say they are “willing to contribute to reactivating a political process based on the two-state solution”, thus betting and closing ranks around the construction of a Palestinian State. independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable”, while making explicit their opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians.