April 4, 2024 (EIRNS)—Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez yesterday concluded his three-nation Southwest Asian tour that included Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. He has been the most outspoken of European Union leaders against Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, and this was his third trip to the region since the war began on Oct. 7. This trip reportedly aimed to sound out the three countries on the Gaza conflict and on ideas on the so-called “day after,” Al-Ahram reported.
Sánchez pointedly began his trip by visiting an UNRWA refugee camp in Jordan. He announced there that Spain would contribute 23.5 million euros to funding UNRWA in 2024, after having tripled Spain’s aid to Palestine last year. “Spain is ready to lead by example,” Sánchez said.
At a news conference on his last stop, in Doha, Qatar, he castigated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the latter’s unacceptable response concerning the Israeli targeting of the US-based food aid organization, World Central Kitchen—founded by Spanish-American celebrity chef José Andrés. “We are waiting for a much more detailed clarification of what the causes have been, bearing in mind that the Israeli government knew about the actions and the itinerary of this NGO on the ground in Gaza,” Sánchez said, calling Netanyahu’s statements “absolutely unacceptable, insufficient.” (Netanyahu had dismissed the hit as a “tragic case” of people being “unintentionally” hit by an Israeli air strike, but “these things happen in war.”)
Sánchez has signalled that Spain also intends to “lead by example” in recognizing Palestine. In early March, he had announced that his government would recognize Palestine unilaterally by the end of its legislative session. In an informal conversation with journalists on his way to southwest Asia on April 1, he indicated that Spain would do so sooner, before the end of July. At the same time, he called for “the recognition of Israel by its Arab neighbors,” saying “mutual recognition is the key to achieving a lasting solution to this conflict.”
