Israel Rejects Spain Ireland Slovenia and Malta Move to Recognize Palestine as a State
Israel challenged a diplomatic push by Spain and three other European nations to officially recognize Palestine as a state. The announcement came after Spain said on Friday that the four countries had agreed to back a diplomatic move to join the 139 countries that already recognize Palestine. Spain’s president stated that now is the moment to back a Palestinian state as a pathway to lasting peace and stability. The plan had been developed during a side meeting Spain held with those countries on the margins of the European Council the previous week.
A government spokesperson in Jerusalem said that the Spanish prime minister’s remarks about recognizing Palestine, along with a joint declaration from Spain, Malta, Slovenia, and Ireland about their readiness to recognize a Palestinian state, amounts to a gesture that rewards terrorism.
Last November, Israel escalated its diplomatic stance toward Spain after Pedro Sánchez announced, during a visit to the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, the unilateral intention to recognize a Palestinian state even without EU consensus. Israel called for its ambassador to Madrid to be recalled and summoned the Spanish chief of mission in Tel Aviv. Sánchez criticized then the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the escalating civilian toll in the Gaza Strip. He described the deaths as unbearable, a sentiment echoed later by a U.S. president who labeled the strikes as indiscriminate. Israel’s foreign ministry defended its position by stating that its language did not amount to encouragement of terrorism and was unacceptable as a charge against Israel.
Since then, Sánchez has been at the forefront of a European effort to push for a ceasefire in Gaza. He is supported by the EU’s top foreign policy official, Josep Borrell. On the other side stand leaders in Germany, Austria, and Hungary who have sought to soften the Council’s stance against the Israeli offensive.
The Gaza Strip has suffered immense casualties, with official tallies placing the total well above 32,000, and many of the victims being women and children. At least 27 children have died due to hunger. International organizations including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF, and Doctors Without Borders have warned of an imminent general famine for about 2.2 million people in Gaza, driven by restricted aid and blocked supplies.
The Israeli note arrived just days before Sánchez planned a trip to Jordan and Qatar from April 1 to 3, following three visits by Spain’s foreign minister to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
In a separate exchange, the term “crimes against humanity” was invoked as part of a discussion about the conflict, though the content included mixed quotes from different sources. The aim, officials asserted, is to condemn attacks by Hamas and to call for the release of hostages while also addressing crimes attributed to others in the region. The statements underline a shared stance against terrorism and a push for accountability for all sides involved in the conflict.
Both the Spanish prime minister and the foreign affairs minister have consistently condemned Hamas attacks and pushed for the release of hostages. In recent remarks, Spain’s top diplomat also condemned abuses reported by United Nations investigations. The Israeli government has emphasized that any resolution to the conflict must come through direct negotiations between the parties involved.
Yet the Israeli government and parliament have expressed reluctance toward the establishment of a Palestinian state, despite the long-standing framework agreed upon in Oslo nearly three decades ago. The Israeli embassy in Spain did not provide additional commentary beyond the official note.
Spain’s peace initiative centers on launching an international peace conference for the Middle East, modeled after the Madrid talks of the 1990s that helped foster the Oslo process and a period of relative stability between Israel and its neighbors.
Last Friday, during a European Council session in Brussels, Sánchez endorsed the council’s firm conclusions on Gaza, which reflect Spain’s position since the crisis began. The statements called for a ceasefire, the opening of land corridors, a halt to incursions into Rafah, continued support for UNRWA, and the promotion of a peace conference that could pave a two-state solution for Gaza and the broader region. Sánchez has said this remains the only viable route to end the conflict and secure lasting peace.
The European Council has repeatedly highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, especially the risk of famine caused by insufficient aid flows into the territory and the dire situation affecting civilian populations, including children.