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Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the Arab League summit in Baghdad as guest of honour on Saturday, where he laid out proposals to end the war in Gaza.
His participation in a summit focused primarily on Gaza underscored Spain’s role in regional diplomacy and its push for ending the conflict and establishing a Palestinian state.
“Palestine is bleeding before our eyes. What is unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank cannot go unnoticed – whether in Europe or anywhere else in the world,” Mr Sanchez told Arab leaders and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
“The desire to redraw the map of the Middle East by force will only summon the nightmares of the past,” added the socialist PM, one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s conduct during the war in Gaza.
Israel’s war on Hamas, launched in response to the 7 October attacks in 2023, has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated the coastal territory.
“These are unacceptable figures that violate not only the basic principles of humanity but also international and humanitarian law,” the Spanish PM said.
Mr Sanchez stressed the urgency of a ceasefire. While a breakthrough had seemed close in recent days, Israel’s cabinet instead intensified its campaign, killing hundreds more in Gaza.
It also rejected renewed calls to increase humanitarian access, putting hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk of famine.
Relief to Gaza
Spain, he said, is working closely with Palestine on a draft resolution to be presented at the United Nations, demanding that Israel end what he described as the unjust humanitarian siege on Gaza and allow the unconditional delivery of aid.
The proposed resolution would insist that relief reach Gaza on the basis of neutrality and in co-ordination with the UN.
He called for increased international pressure on Israel to halt the “carnage unfolding” in Gaza, using every means available under international law.
Spain will also propose that the UN General Assembly request the International Criminal Court to examine Israel’s compliance with its obligations to deliver humanitarian aid.
He added that the international community must explore the legal framework through which the situation in Gaza could be assessed as “potential genocide”.
In April, Spain “unilaterally” pulled out of a €6.6 million order for millions of bullets from an Israeli company, after pressure from partners in the government’s left-wing coalition.
The country had suspended arms sales to Israel soon after it began its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, and extended the suspension to include weapons imports the following year.
In 2024, Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, officially recognised a Palestinian state.
Mr Sanchez voiced strong support for an international peace conference, saying it was the only viable path forward. He noted that a conference planned in June by France and Saudi Arabia could offer a platform, but stressed that any such initiative must be backed by both Arab and European nations through a unified approach.
“We must apply international law equally to all, without ambiguity or double standards,” he concluded. “Spain is committed to doing everything in our power to make that a reality.”
