Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared that the establishment of a Palestinian state is “the only route to peace” in the Middle East.
He made this statement on Tuesday before a cabinet vote to formally recognize a Palestinian state, a move also anticipated by Ireland and Norway, which has provoked anger from Israel.
Sanchez described the decision as “a matter of historical justice.”
“The only route towards establishing peace is the establishment of a Palestinian state, living side by side with the state of Israel,” Sanchez asserted.
He emphasized that the Palestinian state must be viable, with the West Bank and Gaza connected by a corridor and East Jerusalem as its capital. Madrid will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders unless agreed upon by both parties, he added.
The West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip were territories seized by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
The Spanish cabinet was expected to certify the formal recognition after their meeting on Tuesday, with Ireland and Norway likely to follow suit. Malta and Slovenia have also indicated they might take similar steps, albeit not immediately.
In March, the leaders of Spain, Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia announced their consideration of recognizing a Palestinian state as “a positive contribution” towards ending the war in Gaza, which has drawn criticism from Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Sanchez of being a “partner to incitement” to Jewish “genocide.”
Katz also commented on X, drawing a parallel between Spanish Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar after her call for a free Palestine “from the river to the sea.”
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