Video: Spain’s PM: Cabinet to recognize Palestinian state amid growing EU-Israel rift

Spain has moved to formally recognize the state of Palestine, with Ireland and Norway set to follow suit in a coordinated effort by these three Western European nations. This diplomatic move, strongly criticized by Israel, will not immediately impact the ongoing war in Gaza but adds to the international pressure on Israel to mitigate its severe response to last year’s Hamas-led attack.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the Spanish Cabinet would recognize a Palestinian state in its Tuesday morning meeting, highlighting the growing rift between the European Union and Israel. Ireland and Norway are also scheduled to officially recognize a Palestinian state later in the day.

“This historic decision aims solely to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace,” Sánchez said during a televised speech from the prime minister’s palace in Madrid.

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, harshly criticized Spain on social media, accusing Sánchez’s government of “inciting genocide against Jews and supporting war crimes.”

While many countries have recognized Palestine, no major Western power has done so until now. The inclusion of these three European nations marks a significant public relations victory for the Palestinian cause.

Relations between the EU and Israel deteriorated on Monday, the day before Ireland and Spain’s official recognition. Madrid has urged the EU to take action against Israel for its continued lethal strikes in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

Norway, not an EU member but often aligning its foreign policy with the bloc, delivered diplomatic papers to the Palestinian government over the weekend in anticipation of its formal recognition. Meanwhile, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed support for the International Criminal Court, which is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including leaders of Hamas.

The diplomatic declarations and ensuing disputes come more than seven months into Israel’s prolonged war against Hamas in Gaza, following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages. Israel’s military response has resulted in 36,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

Last week’s joint announcement by Spain, Ireland, and Norway drew a strong reaction from Israeli officials, who summoned the countries’ ambassadors to the Foreign Ministry and showed them videos of the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Around 140 countries, over two-thirds of the United Nations, recognize Palestine. The addition of three Western European countries may increase pressure on France and Germany to reconsider their stance.

The United States and Britain support the idea of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel but insist it should result from negotiations. Netanyahu’s government maintains that direct negotiations are the only way to resolve the conflict.

In his speech, Sánchez emphasized that recognizing Palestine was not against Israel. “This decision is not against anyone, least of all against Israel, a friendly nation we respect and want to maintain the best possible relations with,” he stated.

Sánchez has spent months advocating for Palestinian recognition and a cease-fire in Gaza across Europe and the Middle East. He called for a permanent cease-fire, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the release of hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 attack.

He expressed support for the Palestinian Authority, which lost control of Gaza to Hamas, envisioning a Palestinian state that connects the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, collaborates with Israel on security, and supports a negotiated two-state solution. It lost Gaza to Hamas in 2007 after the militant group seized control.

The Palestinians have long sought an independent state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Previous peace talks have considered a land corridor linking Gaza and the West Bank through Israel, but substantial negotiations have not occurred in over 15 years.

“We will not recognize changes to the 1967 borders unless agreed upon by both parties,” Sánchez added.

“This decision also reflects our absolute rejection of Hamas, a terrorist organization opposed to the two-state solution,” Sánchez said. “Spain has unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks of October 7. This condemnation is a testament to our commitment to fighting terrorism. Starting tomorrow, we will focus all our efforts on implementing the two-state solution.”

Israel is also under scrutiny from the International Criminal Court, which is considering issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister. The International Court of Justice is also examining allegations of genocide against Israel, which the nation denies.