Sanchez greets Mustafa as recognition of state is slammed by Israel
SPANISH Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and leading officials from several Middle Eastern countries in Madrid the day after Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised a Palestinian state.
The diplomatic move by the three Western European nations on Tuesday was condemned by Israel and will have little immediate impact on its grinding war in Gaza, but it was a victory for the Palestinians and could encourage other Western powers to follow suit.
“On behalf of President (Mahmoud) Abbas and the government of Palestine, the people of Palestine, we warmly welcome Spain’s recognition of the state of Palestine,” Mr Mustafa said afterwards.
“This recognition strengthens our resolve to continue our struggle for a just and lasting peace.”
Mr Mustafa was joined by Saudi Arabian foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the foreign ministers for Turkey and Jordan, members of the group called the Foreign Ministerial Committee of Arabic and Islamic countries for Gaza.
They also met Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares.
More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state – more than two-thirds of the United Nations.
With Spain and Ireland, there are now nine members of the 27-nation European Union that officially recognise a Palestinian state.
Norway is not an EU member but its foreign policy is usually aligned with the bloc.
Slovenia, an EU member, will decide on the recognition of a Palestinian state today and forward its decision to parliament for final approval.
“We salute Spain, and we salute Norway, Ireland and Slovenia for doing the right thing. We urge other European partners to do the same thing,” said Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi.
The move to recognise a Palestinian state has caused relations between the EU and Israel to nosedive.
Madrid and Dublin are pushing for the EU to take measures against Israel for its continued attacks on southern Gaza’s city of Rafah.
The decision by Spain, Ireland and Norway comes more than seven months into an assault waged by Israel following the October 7 Hamas-led attack in which militants stormed across the Gaza border into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.
Israel’s air and land attacks have since killed 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Three soldiers have been killed in Rafah, the Israeli military said.
Israeli media reported that the soldiers were killed when a booby trap exploded on Tuesday, and three other soldiers were wounded.
The military says at least 290 soldiers have been killed since the ground operation in Gaza began in October.
Israel says it is carrying out limited operations in eastern Rafah along the Gaza-egypt border.
Palestinians in Rafah reported heavy fighting yesterday as Israeli forces pressed their assault on the border town once seen as the territory’s last refuge.
The United States and other allies of Israel have warned against a fullfledged offensive in the city.
Israeli leaders say their forces must enter Rafah to dismantle Hamas and return hostages taken in the October 7 attack that triggered the war.
Fighting in Rafah has caused more than one million Palestinians to flee, most of whom had already been displaced in the war between Israel and Hamas.
They now seek refuge in squalid tent camps and other war-ravaged areas, where they lack shelter, food, water and other essentials for survival, the UN says
The US does not believe Israel’s actions in Rafah amount to a “major ground operation” that could cross a red line for President Joe Biden and trigger a possible change in US policy, the White House has said.
Spokesman John Kirby addressed reporters hours after Israeli forces reached the centre of the city in southern Gaza, and reportedly seized a strategically important hill.
“We don’t support, we won’t support a major ground operation in Rafah,” Mr Kirby said.
Mr Biden recently said he would limit weapons supplies to Israel if it entered Rafah’s “population centres”, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are still believed to be sheltering.
Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.
This recognition strengthens our resolve to continue our struggle for a lasting peace