– David Zorakino – Europe Press – Archive
Madrid, December 6 (European Press) –
Next Wednesday, the Spanish government will personally convey to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the time has come to build a “true Palestinian state” in the West Bank and Gaza under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority led by the president, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albarez said on Saturday, while appearing at the International Forum in Doha (Qatar).
Next Wednesday, Abbas will hold meetings with King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in what will be his second visit to Spain after the official recognition of Palestine as a full member state in the international community, which the Spanish government did in May 2024.
The Foreign Minister said, “It is time to work on establishing a true Palestinian state. This means that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are under one Palestinian authority.” Albarez also took the opportunity to condemn the escalation of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which is “in fact, misplaced.”
For Albarez, the success of a future Palestinian state will be a success for Europe. The Foreign Minister declared: “The day there is a single Palestinian authority that controls the West Bank and Gaza, is linked to a corridor reaching the sea and has its capital in East Jerusalem, and lives in good neighborhood with Israel, we will have achieved what Europe stands for, which is peace and respect for international law and international humanitarian law.”
On the other hand, the Minister took the opportunity to praise Qatar’s “amazing” mediation work in the region, and in general “within the global diplomatic system.”
He pointed out, “We need traditional diplomacy, but if there are other ways to bring people together, and help each other understand each other better, they are welcome. But we must make sure that we always talk about a lasting peace, just and for a good cause.”