Spain PM seeks parliament’s recognition of Palestinian state

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his intention to bring forward a proposal for Spain’s parliament to officially recognize Palestine as a state. Sánchez, driven by a strong sense of moral duty and the pursuit of justice, believes that recognizing Palestine is crucial for achieving lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.

This move aligns Sánchez with other European leaders who have expressed readiness to support a two-state solution in the Middle East, amid growing dissatisfaction with Israel’s policies in Palestinian territories. For instance, French President Emmanuel Macron recently mentioned that France is open to recognizing a Palestinian state, describing such recognition as not being “taboo.” Similarly, British Foreign Minister David Cameron indicated the UK’s potential recognition of a Palestinian state contingent upon a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Sánchez compared Spain’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict to its support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, emphasizing Spain’s demand for adherence to international law by both Russia and Israel. He called for an end to violence, the acknowledgment of two sovereign states, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

These comments were made during a rights conference in Bilbao and occur as the international community seeks ways to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including navigating Israeli restrictions to deliver aid. This initiative comes five months after an attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which led to significant casualties and a forceful response from Israel, affecting over 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza.