By Alyssa McMurtry
OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spain’s prime minister said in Brussels on Thursday that he will continue pushing the EU to “act coherently" on the conflict in Gaza.
Noting the “extreme and serious situation in Gaza” Pedro Sanchez he said that Spain, along with other European nations, urged the EU to speak “substantially” on the conflict during the special meeting of the European Council.
However, in the council’s published conclusions, there was just a single sentence on the conflict: “The European Council discussed the latest developments in the Middle East.”
Sanchez acknowledged the “obvious” divisions on the crisis, but said he refused to give up promoting Spain’s position and urging the EU to call for Israel to “respect international humanitarian law.”
Spain has called for an immediate and permanent cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and a peace conference that would result in the international recognition of a viable Palestinian state.
“Spain isn’t going to abandon the millions of Palestinian and Israeli citizens who want and deserve a future of peace and security,” said Sanchez on Thursday.
He also emphasized the proposal of the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell, who, like Sanchez, belongs to the Spanish Socialist Party.
Last week, Borrell discussed with EU foreign ministers the importance of talking about a concrete two-state solution, even though Israel has excluded that option for the moment.
“Which are the other solutions they have in mind? To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill them?” Borrell told media before the meeting. “Peace and stability cannot be built only by military means, and not in this particular way of using military means.”
While the EU has backed Spain’s proposal for an international peace conference, many other European leaders have been more supportive of the Israeli government.
For instance, some EU states like Spain, Norway, and Ireland said this week they would not pull funding for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in light of allegations that a handful of employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attack.
However, EU other countries like Germany, Italy, Austria, France and Finland announced that they would freeze funding to the agency.