Else Beekman
MADRID – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has proposed holding an international peace conference within six months. The aim would be at finding a final two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Sánchez emphasises that the international community must commit to recognising Palestine as an independent state, as Israel is already recognised by the majority of countries.
“From Spain we propose to organise an international peace conference within six months. The aim is to find a solution where both parties, Israel and Palestine, are recognised as independent states,” Sánchez said ahead of the EU summit to be held in Brussels this week.
Call for a “ceasefire”
Sánchez calls for a “ceasefire” and says there must be a humanitarian pause allowing necessary aid to the Palestinian territories. “If conditions are not favourable, we must pause to provide all the humanitarian aid that the Palestinian people urgently need,” the Spanish prime minister said.
Also read: Spanish Prime Minister calls for a ceasefire for aid passage to Gaza
EU summit and Palestinian aid
Furthermore, Sánchez wants the EU summit conclusions to include a call for a humanitarian pause to allow aid to Gaza. He acknowledges that there is still work to be done to reach a common European position, but assures that Spain will remain constructive.
Spanish condemnation of terrorism
The outgoing Prime Minister reiterated Spain’s “full, total and absolute” condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel. He also called for the release of Israeli and other hostages, including Spaniard Iván Illarramendi, and recognised Israel’s right to defend itself under international humanitarian law.
Israeli response
Israel’s ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, has rejected Sánchez’s proposal to hold a peace conference. She argues that all hostages must first be released and Hamas’ infrastructure destroyed. “Now is not the right time to talk about solutions. First, all kidnapped persons must be returned and then Hamas’ infrastructure must be completely destroyed,” Radian-Gordon said.
Also read: Israel Embassy accuses Spain of endangering Jewish community