Recognition of Palestinian state among Spanish Sumar party's demands to form gov't with PSOE

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The recognition of the Palestinian state is among Spain's far-left Sumar party's demands to form a government with the Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), the party's spokesperson said on Monday.

Ernest Urtasun told a press conference that Sumar believes that there is room to close a government agreement with the PSOE, but they insist that there are still important obstacles to resolve.

The "unconditional" and "viable" recognition of the Palestinian state among those issues without waiting for the EU to agree on a common position, Urtasun said.

Regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, he said that establishing a cease-fire is the "most important" thing now so that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza.

He underlined that Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, which Sumar already condemned, "does not justify the war crimes that Israel has been systematically committing in the Gaza Strip for many years, violating international law through the occupation of illegal territories that violate international law, but above all committing collective punishment that are real war crimes that must stop immediately."

"We regret that yesterday at the Cairo Summit it was not possible to reach an agreement," he added.

The spokesperson urged the EU to escalate its response, as well as its diplomatic pressure on Israel "urgently."

"Therefore, arms shipments to Israel and arms trade with Israel must cease immediately," Urtasun said and added: "We must, therefore, increase diplomatic pressure on Israel so that, once and for all, these war crimes being committed in Gaza cease."

"And also, in the longer term, to revive the peace talks, to which we have turned our backs for a long time, to which the European Union has paid no attention in recent years," he said. "And reviving the peace talks is fundamental, as we have said many times, about the recognition of a viable, real Palestinian state, which can begin to be a cornerstone of resolving the conflict in the Middle East."

The negotiations for a minority left-wing coalition government between PSOE and Sumar in Spain are anticipated to conclude positively in a week, but the primary hurdle to forming a government persists. This is due to the mandatory support of separatist Catalan political parties, who demand amnesty for convicted Catalan politicians or those currently facing legal proceedings.