'This escalation in Israel's military occupation of Gaza will only bring more death, more suffering, further impede the release of the hostages, and destabilize the Middle East,' says foreign minister
Spain's foreign minister said Monday that his country and the European Union will "never recognize" any unilateral annexation of the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, condemning Israel's military escalation in the territory.
"I spoke out immediately, I firmly condemned it: neither we nor the European Union will ever recognize it," Jose Manuel Albares told Spanish broadcaster RTVE. "We will never recognize this illegal unilateral annexation of Gaza or the West Bank, where illegal settlements are advancing."
Albares stressed that what the Middle East needs right now is the security of the Palestinian people, and the security of the people of Israel.
"This escalation in Israel's military occupation of Gaza will only bring more death, more suffering, further impede the release of the hostages, and destabilize the Middle East," he warned.
He urged for "a permanent ceasefire, an end to this blockade that Israel is imposing on Gaza, this induced famine, a massive influx of humanitarian aid, the immediate release of all the hostages, and a definitive peace, which is the same as establishing a two-state solution."
Israel is already facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and led to deaths by starvation.
- Spain warns against any peace deal that rewards Russia
Asked about the upcoming meeting of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Albares said Madrid supports any genuine step toward peace, "even toward a first step, which would be a ceasefire." But he warned against any deal that would reward Russia.
He said Spain's stance remains unchanged since "the beginning of this unjustified, unjustifiable war," underscoring the need to uphold "sovereignty and territorial integrity" and ensure "nothing can be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine at the table."
"If there is a prize for the aggressor in this war, if a war of aggression has a payoff for Russia, the world will be more unstable tomorrow," he said, insisting "only (Ukraine's) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and the Ukrainian government are legitimately authorized to speak" on the country’s future.
