MADRID: Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez has said that Israel’s out of proportion response to war in Gaza risks destabilizing the Middle East, and the entire world.
Sanchez also said that recognition of a Palestinian state, which has always been resisted by Israel and its close allies, is in the geopolitical interests of Europe.
The PM Sanchez has already raised the subject of statehood during a visit to the Middle East last week during which he said Spain could recognize Palestine as a nation by the end of June.
Sanchez on Wednesday told lawmakers the international community cannot help the Palestinian state if it does not recognize its very existence.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza on October 7, the Spanish premier has pushed for Europe to recognize the state of Palestine.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s criticism of the war in Gaza has increased tensions with Israel.
Israel-Spain tensions
His criticism of the war in Gaza has also increased tensions with Israel.
Sanchez said Israel’s disproportionate response had overruled decades of humanitarian law and threatened the stability of the Middle East and the whole world.
In February, Sanchez and his Irish counterpart asked the EU to examine whether Israel was complying with its human rights obligations in Gaza.
Israel withdrew its Madrid envoy in November for consultations, after expressing anger over Sanchez’s remarks about legality of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the remarks of the Spanish prime minister terming them as shameful. Later the Israeli Ambassador Rodica Radian-Gordon returned back to Madrid in January.
Israel was also angered by statements of Sanchez’s coalition government in October and November calling for sanctions on arms sales to Israel.
Sanchez, while visiting a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan last week, slammed Israel over the drone strike on a convoy that killed seven staff members of the NGO World Central Kitchen.
He demanded that Israel must explain the circumstances of this brutal attack.
Like other global leaders, Sanchez has also called for the implementation of the two-state solution and asked the world to recognize a Palestinian state.
