"The West Bank and the Gaza Strip must be connected by a corridor, with a capital East Jerusalem and united under the legitimate rule of the Palestinian Authority," said Pedro Sanchez.
The government in Spain has officially recognized Palestine as an independent state. "This is a historic decision that has a single goal: to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace," said Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Earlier today, Norway made the same decision. Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide announced the decision as support for moderate forces in both countries. Ireland is also expected to recognize Palestine within the day. Madrid, Dublin and Oslo announced their decision last week.
"In full compliance with UN resolutions"
On the question of the borders of Palestine, Sanchez said that Spain has no right to "determine the borders of other countries”. However, Madrid's position is "in full compliance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and with the traditional position of the EU". It therefore recognizes the 1967 borders that existed before the Six-Day War, ARD said.
The Palestinian state must, first of all, have the opportunity to exist, Sanchez also emphasized. "The West Bank and the Gaza Strip must be connected by a corridor, with East Jerusalem as its capital and united under the legitimate rule of the Palestinian Authority," the Spanish Prime Minister added.
Israel reacted sharply
According to him, Spain's decision is not directed against anyone - "certainly not against Israel, a friendly nation whom we respect, value and with whom we want to have the best possible relations". Sanchez strongly condemned the October 7 terrorist attacks and the Islamist organization Hamas that carried them out. Spain, like other EU countries, the US and Israel, considers Hamas a terrorist organization. However, recognition of Palestine is "the only path to a two-state solution," the prime minister said.
The declaration by the three European countries that they want to recognize a Palestinian state has already sparked the outrage of Israel and a diplomatic row that has since grown almost daily, especially between the governments in Madrid and Jerusalem. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Sanchez of becoming an accomplice in "inciting genocide against the Jews" by recognizing the Palestinian state.
Most UN countries recognize Palestine
Most countries in the United Nations - a total of 138 out of 193 - officially recognize the Palestinian state, the BBC recalls. Among them are few European countries, among them Hungary, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Sweden and Cyprus. The position of other Western European countries and the US is that they will recognize Palestine as a state as part of a long-term peace solution in the region.
On May 10 this year, 143 out of a total of 193 members of the UN General Assembly voted in support of the Palestinian candidacy for full UN membership.