by Madrid (EFE).- The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, expressed this Tuesday his desire to have “the best possible relationship” with Israel despite the fact that Spain has recognized Palestine as a State and has expressed his “outright” rejection of Hamas. , who recalled that he does not support the two-state solution.
Sánchez has expressed his intention to maintain good relations with the Israeli people in the institutional declaration that he made in Spanish and English before the meeting of the Council of Ministers that approved the recognition of Palestine and in which he established what he considers should be be that State.
Sánchez will receive his Palestinian counterpart in Madrid
In this sense, Sánchez will meet this Wednesday at the Moncloa Palace with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohamed Mustafa, and several Foreign Ministers of Arab countries to analyze the situation after the recognition of Palestine by Spain.
Spain will not recognize changes in the borders established in 1967
“The State of Palestine must be viable, with the West Bank and Gaza connected by a corridor and with East Jerusalem as its capital and unified under the legitimate Government of the Palestinian National Authority (…) We will not recognize changes to the 1967 border lines that are not those agreed upon by the parties,” he explained.
An approach that he recalled is aligned with United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and with the position that the European Union has traditionally maintained.
A “historic” decision that does not go against anyone
As he did in his appearance in the plenary session of Congress last Wednesday, he stressed that the recognition of Palestine, which he described as a “historic” decision, is not against anyone, least of all against Israel.
He stressed that Israel is “a friendly people whom, he said, we respect, whom we appreciate and with whom we want to have the best possible relationship.”
Outright rejection of Hamas
Furthermore, he explained that this decision reflects the frontal and resounding rejection of Hamas, which has specified that it rejects the two-state solution.
At that time he emphasized that Spain condemned “from the first moment and with complete force the terrorist attacks of October 7” and that this condemnation is “the resounding expression of our absolute commitment to the fight against terrorism.”
Desire to have the best relations with Israel
Sánchez has expressed the desire to have the best possible relations with Israel after the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu has responded harshly to the decision to recognize Palestine and, among other decisions, has called its ambassador in Madrid for consultations.
The President of the Government has insisted that recognizing Palestine, something that he has stressed that more than 140 countries have already done, has the sole objective of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace.
Three big priorities
Sánchez has assured that starting tomorrow Spain will concentrate its efforts on making this solution a reality with three major priorities.
The first of them is to try a permanent ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
In addition, it will support the Palestinian National Authority in the reform process initiated by its new Government.
To this he has added to continue promoting cooperation with Arab partners who also work for peace and prosperity in the region.
Efforts for an International Peace Conference
In this context, he has stated that he will continue to join forces to convene an international peace conference that will make the two-state solution a reality once and for all.
Albares coordinates a “firm” response with Ireland and Norway
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has announced that he has spoken with his colleagues from Norway and Ireland to coordinate a “calm and firm” response to Israel’s “infamous hoaxes” and “attacks” after the recognition of Palestine as a State by the three countries.
“No one intimidates us,” Albares warned at a press conference after the Council of Ministers, which approved this recognition of the Palestinian state at its meeting today.
The minister has announced that there will be a response but at the time when the three countries decide and not “when others want with provocations.”
He recalled that the countries of the European Union agreed this Monday to request, as Spain and Ireland had been requesting, a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council to address with that country the respect for human rights in accordance with its obligations within that framework of relations.
He has insisted that the decision taken by the Council of Ministers with the recognition of the State of Palestine “is not against anyone, much less against the people or the State of Israel”, but in favor of justice, peace and international legality. .
“Today is a day that remains engraved in the history of Spain”
“Today is a day that remains engraved in the history of Spain. A day in which our country says that in the face of suffering, indifference is not possible and that peace, solidarity, commitment and trust in humanity are possible, a day in which many countries in the world watch and applaud the decision. that we have taken,” Albares assured at the beginning of his speech.
It was last Wednesday when the Government announced before the plenary session of Congress the specific date of this approval, this May 28, after coordinating with Ireland and Norway in order to make the decision in unison.
Israel’s reaction
These consequences were immediate after the announcement, and the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu called its ambassador in Spain for consultations, as it also did with those in charge of its diplomatic legations in Ireland and Norway.
In addition, Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that he had given instructions to cut the connection between the Spanish embassy in Tel Aviv and the Palestinians, as well as prohibit the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians in the West Bank.
A decision for the recognition of Palestine but also, as Katz explained, for the “anti-Semitic call” of the Vice President of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, who closed an intervention last week with the pro-Palestinian slogan “from the river to the sea.”
The ban on providing services to Palestinians by the consulate was formalized this Monday when Katz sent a diplomatic note to the Spanish embassy and, in a statement, warned: “Whoever harms us, we will harm.”
A controversial video
The note is added to the video that the minister uploaded on Sunday to his account on the social network , and the message, mentioning Sánchez: “Hamas appreciates your services.”
Reactions to the recognition of the Palestinian state
For his part, the head of Vox’s list for the European Parliament, Jorge Buxadé, has defended Israel’s actions in Palestine as a “military anti-terrorist operation” and has asked what the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, would do against “atrocious” crimes. like those committed by Hamas.
The head of the PP list for the European elections, Dolors Montserrat, has indicated that the recognition of the state of Palestine should be “from the unity of the EU” and not from Spain, and has denounced that Pedro Sánchez wants to “cover up” with this position “corruption and the amnesty law.”
The Comuns Sumar candidate for the European Parliament, Jaume Asens, has asked the President of the Government to toughen his response to the “insults” and “threats” of the Israeli executive.
