Spain accelerates its Palestine policy with a push for recognition of a Palestinian state, a call for a ceasefire, and the release of hostages, while outlining plans for an international peace conference once the gunfire subsides. The aim is to work toward a viable and secure Palestine and to press Arab countries to also recognize Israel. In this framework, the role of Arab and Muslim nations becomes central. The majority appear ready to acknowledge Israel and establish formal diplomatic ties in exchange for Israel ending its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
In this context, and just twenty four hours after Spain formally recognized Palestine as a state, Pedro Sanchez and Jose Manuel Albares held high level talks in Madrid with officials from the Arab-Islamic Committee for Gaza. The attendees included the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt, with the Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa and the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation soon to participate.
All participants expressed gratitude to Sanchez for his leading position in Europe against the excesses of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The discussions also touched on the recognition of Palestine as a state, alongside Norway and Ireland, a move that is drawing interest from additional EU members according to European officials cited by the Israeli daily Haaretz.
In a formal statement that did not permit press questions, the foreign minister and his counterparts outlined Spain s roadmap. They thanked Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud for his commitment to building support for peace. He responded in Madrid that he was grateful to Spain for giving hope in a very dark moment and stressed the need for peace with all neighbors, including Israel. The Saudi leadership does not recognize Israel, yet there were indications it was close to resuming diplomatic relations with Israel before the Hamas attack.
The new Palestinian prime minister, Mohammad Mustafa, following the government renewal carried out by the Palestinian Authority a few months earlier, warmly thanked the State of Palestine s recognition and exclaimed Viva España. He urged an immediate halt to the Rafah massacre and noted that Israel had refused the order from the International Court of Justice in The Hague to stop its offensive in Rafah, an act Norway describes as violating international law. Since Prime Minister Netanyahu s government received that order, multiple mass casualties in Gaza have been reported, with some groups claiming responsibility for certain strikes.