The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
Photo: REUTERS
The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, gave a frank interview to the state television network RTVE, in which he reiterated his position regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and called on Tel Aviv to recognize an independent Palestine. According to the 51-year-old politician, what the world is now seeing in Gaza is “categorically unacceptable.”
Sánchez once again condemned the Hamas attack on October 7, but expressed doubts about whether Israel’s response met internationally accepted standards. At the same time, he stressed that the state of diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel is “correct” and friendly countries “must tell each other the truth.”
“I have sincere doubts that Israel complies with international humanitarian law,” Sánchez complained. “I personally saw and continue to see an increasing number of images of murdered civilians, including children.
The Spanish president insisted that the world needed a political solution to end this crisis. And this decision, in his opinion, requires the recognition of an independent Palestine. Sánchez added that there is currently a lot of talk about a “two-state solution,” but in reality “it is an Israeli solution because Palestine is already recognized by the international community.”
– More than 140 UN member countries have recognized the independence of Palestine. We must sit down at the negotiating table and reach an agreement whereby Europe recognizes a Palestinian state,” he said. “I think we have enough reasons for that.” All these years we have witnessed Israel’s systematic occupation of Palestinian lands in the West Bank. And what we see today in Gaza is categorically unacceptable.
According to Sánchez, the West is interested in resolving this conflict “out of moral conviction.” However, the geopolitical situation also worries European politicians, because if peace is not achieved, “the crisis will spread to Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and then “destabilize the entire Mediterranean.”
The interview with the Spanish politician caused fury in Tel Aviv. Jewish Foreign Minister Eli Cohen summoned Spain’s ambassador to Israel for a reprimand “after Sánchez’s shameful statement.” He also called on Israel’s ambassador in Madrid to return him to his homeland for further consultations.
READ ALSO
“Indiscriminate murders of thousands of children”: In Europe they demanded to stop the Israeli operation and recognize Palestine
The ambassadors of Belgium and Spain were summoned to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive explanations (more details)
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS