Spain’s relations with Israel have weakened even more after aid workers delivering food aid were killed in an Israeli attack. The founder of the organization is Spanish.
BARCELONA This week, one of the most interviewed people in the Spanish media has been a Spanish chef Jose Andres.
Andrés, who has lived in the United States for a long time, is known as the founder of the global aid organization World Central Kitchen. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the beginning of the week, seven employees of the organization died in an Israeli strike as they tried to take food aid to Gaza, which is on the brink of famine.
According to Andrés, the attack was specifically aimed at aid workers, although Israel called it damage.
– They knew what they were doing. It was a systematic killing, Andrés commented to the Spaniard for the La Sexta TV channel.
In the video below, Andrés talks about the atmosphere of aid work in Gaza.
Neither does the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez not swallowed by the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu explanations.
– Explanations are not enough. We have to think about what kind of action we will take with regard to Netanyahu, Sánchez stated after the attack.
The countries of the Middle East must recognize Israel
One of the measures would be the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Sánchez is currently on his way In the Middle East. On Monday in Jordan, Sánchez told the accompanying journalists that Spain plans to recognize the Palestinian state before the summer.
– It’s time to put words into action, Sanchez said.
Sánchez’s goal has long been a two-state model.
On the other hand, the goal also requires that the countries of the Middle East recognize Israel.
Therefore, in addition to Jordan, Sánchez will travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, neither of which have recognized Israel.
The prime minister accuses Israel of killing civilians
Due to its history and location, Spain is close to Arab countries.
It shares a border with Morocco and Spain has a lot of people of Arab background.
Prime Minister Sánchez is tried to get even closer with the Arab countries during his reign.
Spain has taken a stricter line towards Israel than many other EU countries.
Sitting in the Spanish government the left-wing Podemos party has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Spain has been critical of Israel’s actions in Palestine even before the attack on Gaza. The war has hardened the statements of the Spanish government even more.
– If we don’t do something differently than in the last decade, the cycle of violence will continue. We need a real Palestinian state and that’s why we were going to recognize it, said the Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares in Brussels on Wednesday Politico by.
Spain increased support for the aid organization
The Spanish Parliament voted for the recognition of Palestine already ten years ago. However, the voting result was not binding, and Spain’s right-wing government at the time did not promote the issue.
The right-wing opposition criticized Sánchez’s intentions to recognize Palestine “in the middle of war”.
According to Sánchez, the EU should discuss the future of the relationship with Israel.
Spain has also increased its support for the UN to UNRWA, an aid organization for Palestinian refugees.
Many countries froze their support from the same organization because Israel accused its workers of being linked to the extremist organization Hamas. In the end, Israel did not provide evidence of the links.
Finland also froze support to UNRWA at the end of January.
In March, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio announced that Finland would continue to pay the support.
Spain and Ireland on a common front
Spanish additionAmong the EU countries, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia are critical of Israel.
Irish Prime Minister known for his statements defending the Palestinians Leo Varadkar has also demanded the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Due to the strong opposition of Austria and Germany, for example, the EU countries hardly recognize Palestine as a common front.
That’s why Spain is trying to encourage countries to recognize Palestine as independent no later than before the November presidential elections in the United States.
Provided Donald Trump is chosen president again, the two-state model will face headwinds.
Palestine has already been recognized by many Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
In addition, Sweden recognized Palestine on its own already in 2014.