Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with Palestinian Authority prime minister Mohammad Mustafa and leading officials from several Middle Eastern countries in Madrid on Wednesday after Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised a Palestinian state. Although the diplomatic move by the three Western European nations on Tuesday was slammed by Israel and will have little immediate impact on its grinding war in Gaza, it was nonetheless a victory for the Palestinians and could encourage other Western powers to follow suit. FRANCE 24's Nadia Massih spoke with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares about the decision.
Speaking to FRANCE 24's Nadia Massih, Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares explained that Spain had led the charge to recognise the state of Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas war because "we have to protect the two-state solution, and to recognise the state of Palestine is the best way to do it".
Read moreWhat is the impact of recognising Palestinian statehood?
"This is the right time to do it, but also because of justice for the Palestinian people. They cannot be condemned to be eternally a people of refugees," said Albares, adding that "it is also a matter of pure humanity" given the death toll in Gaza of "more than 35,000" killed since the beginning of Israel's operation, after 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas's attack on October 7.
In addition to this diplomatic move, Albares told FRANCE 24 that Spain has called for a worldwide peace conference whose objective will be focused not simply on calling for a two-state solution but on its implementation.
Reacting to his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz's post on X that Spain was "rewarding terror" with this move, Albares said: "It's ridiculous, it's false and he knows it. We have condemned the terrorist attack of a terrorist organisation like Hamas. We have been calling since the very beginning for the [liberation] of all hostages."
"The recognition is not against anyone. ... Israel and the Israeli people are friends of the Spanish people," Albares said, adding: "We have championed the two-state solution and we are definitely world champions in the cause of world peace. That is why we have recognised the state of Palestine."
Click on the video player above to watch the full interview.
