UPDATE - Spain, Palestine hold 1st intergovernmental meeting in Madrid

UPDATES WITH FURTHER DETAILS; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) – Spain on Thursday hosted its first intergovernmental meeting with the state of Palestine, which it officially recognized in May.

The meeting, held at the prime minister's residence in Madrid, was led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.

It began at 9 a.m. (0800GMT) and was attended on the Spanish side by Second Vice President Yolanda Diaz, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Education Minister Pilar Alegria, and Youth and Childhood Minister Sira Rego.

The Palestinian delegation included Labor Minister Enas Omar, Interior Minister Ziyad Habalreeh, and Education Minister Amjad Dababat.

It was the first intergovernmental meeting between an EU member state and Palestine amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, for which it is accused of genocide.

It concluded without a press briefing, but memorandums of understanding to strengthen cooperation in several fields, including labor and education, were signed.

- Spain committed to support Palestine with $79M over next 2 years

Following the meeting, the prime minister's officer said in a statement that Sanchez described the first intergovernmental meeting as a "symbol" of Spain's commitment to the present and future of Palestine.

The holding of this meeting aims to contribute to projecting Palestine's status as a state internationally and encourage other countries to follow the lead taken by Spain, the statement said.

"In this sense, Spanish aid to Palestine tripled in 2023 and has continued to grow throughout 2024. Following today's meeting, Spain has committed to supporting Palestine with at least €75 million (nearly $79 million) over the next two years," it said.

Sanchez also reiterated Madrid's demand to compliance with the provisional measures dictated by the International Court of Justice against Israel.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last year, killing nearly 44,000 people, most of them women and children.

Besides Spain, Ireland and Norway also recognized the state of Palestine in May.