Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares said the international community should look at sanctions against Israel to stop the war on Gaza. He made the statement on May 25 as European and Arab nations gathered in Madrid to discuss implementation of the two-states solution of Palestine and Israel, reported Agence France-Presse.
The talks aimed to stop Israel’s “inhumane” and “senseless” war on Gaza, Foreign Minister Albares told reporters before the meeting opened. Humanitarian aid must enter Gaza “massively, without conditions and without limits, and not controlled by Israel,” he insisted, describing the territory as humanity’s “open wound.” He also told reporters that Spain would request its “immediate suspension,” following the European Union decision this week to review its cooperation deal with Israel. Furthermore, Spain would also call for an arms embargo against Israel and “not rule out any” individual sanctions against those “who want to ruin the two-state solution forever,” Albares stated.
“The war in Gaza must end,” he [posted](https://x.com/jmalbares/status/1926691192730755446 on X.
Albares told Cadena SER radio after the summit that the event made progress by including more EU powers, including France, Germany and Italy in the format. They would “never give up on peace in the Middle East,” he said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said Madrid will back draft resolutions at the United Nations aimed at ramping up aid access to Gaza and holding Israel to account over its international humanitarian obligations.
Participants in the meeting, including representatives from France, Britain, Germany and Italy Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Morocco, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia, and Brazil, which like Spain have already recognized a State of Palestine, also took part in the meeting.
