Rejecting Gaza's Doubles Crisis Standard, Spanish PM Sanchez: We Need To Create Conditions For Ceasefire

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. (Wikimedia Commons/Fernando Calvo Rollan)

JAKARTA - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged Western countries to reject double standards against the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, referring to the treatment of Ukraine, as the death toll continues to grow.

That was conveyed by PM Sanchez while attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Washington DC, United States which was held on July 9-11.

"If we tell our people that we support Ukraine because we defend international law, it is the same as what we should do against Gaza," he said.

The Spanish leader further said there should be a "consistent political position" where "we don't have double standards."

PM Sanchez said the world needed to press to "stop the terrible humanitarian crisis" that befell Palestine, calling for an international peace conference to push for the establishment of the Palestinian state.

"We need to create conditions for an immediate and urgent ceasefire," he said.

"There is a real risk of escalation to Lebanon," he said, quoted by Al Mayadeen.

PM Sanchez is known to be one of the leaders of European countries criticizing Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, bringing Spain to join a number of countries that recognized the Palestinian State some time ago.

"This is a historic decision that has one goal: for Israel and Palestine to achieve peace," PM Sanchez said announcing Spain's recognition of the Palestinian State last May.

PM Sanchez said Madrid would recognize the united Palestinian State, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, under the Palestinian National Authority with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The admission received strong criticism from Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz.

"Sachez, when you recognize a Palestinian state, you engage in incitement to genocide against Jews and war crimes," Israel's Foreign Minister Katz wrote on X.

Israel responded to the confession by withdrawing its ambassadors from Madrid, Oslo and Dublin, then calling on the ambassadors of the three countries to watch videos of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas armed groups.

They also blocked Spain from providing consular services to Palestinians in the West Bank and accused Spain of helping Hamas. In response, Spain increased criticism, describing the Gaza conflict as a "real genocide."

To ease tensions, PM Sanchez then criticized Hamas and called for the release of all sandara in Gaza.

"This is not a decision we make against anyone, let alone against Israel," he said.

"We want to have the best relationship," he said.

PM Sanchez said Madrid would not recognize any changes to the border before 1967 unless approved by both sides.

Separately, Gaza's health authorities confirmed on Thursday that the death toll of Palestinians since the conflict in Gaza broke had reached 38,345 people and injured 88,295 people, with the majority of victims being women and children.