Even If The European Union Disagrees, Spain Is Ready To Admit To The Palestinian State

8-year-old Karam awaits bread for his family in Khan Younis City, southern Gaza, Thursday, November 23. (Photo: Twitter/@UNICEF)

JAKARTA - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday, November 23, he was unilaterally willing to recognize the Palestinian State, although it was against the EU's opinion.

"I think it's time for the international community to recognize the Palestinian State, especially the European Union and its member countries," Sanchez said at a press conference at the Rafah border gate on the Egyptian side.

Sanchez said ideally the confession was delivered simultaneously by at least a number of member countries.

"But if this doesn't happen, of course, Spain will make its own decisions," said the newly re-elected prime minister.

He stressed that recognizing the Palestinian state was his priority during his next term of office.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo accompanied Sanchez on a visit to Israel, Palestine and Egypt.

Throughout the journey, the two called for the protection of the civilian population in Gaza and asked Israel to respect international humanitarian law.

On Friday, after a press conference at the Rafah cross-border gate, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen ordered the Spanish and Belgian ambassadors in Tel Aviv to be called to give a "hard warning."

"We condemn the false claims of the Spanish and Belgian Prime Ministers who provide support to terrorism," he wrote in X, while defending himself that Israel had acted in accordance with international law.

If Alexander De Croo is more restrained, Sanchez actually says Israel does not obey international law and accuses the country of "indiscriminate killings" of "nines of children" in Gaza.

Sanchez also firmly condemned Hamas' attack on October 7.

"Violence will only create even greater violence. We need to replace violence with hope and peace. This is what I tell the president and prime minister of Israel," Sanchez said.

Asked about whether Belgium would recognize Palestine, De Croo said his first priority was to release hostages detained by Hamas and help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Currently, reported by ANTARA, Saturday, November 25, nine of the 27 EU member states recognize the Palestinian state. In 2014, Sweden became the first country to do this when it became a member state of the European Union.

Earlier on Friday, the prime ministers of Belgium and Spain met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

He advised the international community to take control for the sake of eternal peace in Israel and Palestine.

"We need international recognition of the Palestinian state, and the United Nations needs to intervene. Taking this step will reflect the seriousness of the international community in creating peace in the region," he said.

He also explained the views of the demilitarized Palestinian state with the borders set in 1967, which may need to be guarded by international forces.