Next May 21. On this date, Council of Ministers Day, all indications are that the Spanish government will honor the commitment made by its Prime Minister, Socialist Pedro Sánchez, to recognize a Palestinian state.

The European diplomat confirmed on Spanish national radio the following day that information put forward by Irish public television on Wednesday evening, which another country is due to jump at the same time as the Iberian state. ” I know this because the minister (Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel) Albarez told me so “, said Josep Borrell, Slovenia can move quickly in the same direction.

The Slovenian government announced this Thursday that it will send a proposal to recognize a Palestinian state to parliament before June 13, unlike in Spain, where Sanchez does not need a vote in Congress on the government's special powers. ” So there will be three countries and then others, because Belgium decided to do so, but delayed the decision because it decided to wait for other countries to participate. “.

La Monclova has yet to confirm a date, but Alvarez confirmed the decision ” was taken “, reaffirms that the Spanish Government has continued to move in line with other European countries in asserting its country's sovereign independence regarding the recognition of the State of Palestine. A question of justice and humanity “.

Sanchez, the spearhead of the Palestinian struggle in Europe

Of the nine countries that today officially recognize the existence of a Palestinian state, none of the leading countries in the European Union.¹, Spain intends to change the situation and has been working for several months to pull the EU in this direction. Less than a week after his re-election, in mid-November 2023, Pedro Sánchez promised ” First engagement » of his new government in terms of foreign policy Work for the recognition of a Palestinian state “.

Words often followed by strong words in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as in Jerusalem on November 23, 2023, confirmed Spain's position as one of the most critical countries for Israel in the bombings of Gaza. Enclave. In recent months, several tensions have arisen with Tel Aviv.

Along with Belgian minister Alexandre de Croix, Sánchez – then president of the EU Council – went to Rafah (Egyptian side) the day after the meeting with Netanyahu. Indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians including thousands of children » Before calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Last March he announced that he would give this approval to the Spanish Congress before the end of his current mandate in 2027 – ” Not only by moral conviction (…), but it is the only way for the two states of Israel and Palestine to coexist and coexist in peace and security. »- before this date was shortened to the first half of this year.

“Ready to recognize Palestine”

At the end of March, during a summit in Brussels, Sanchez published a joint statement with his Irish, Maltese and Slovenian counterparts, which all said: Ready to recognize Palestine “. He brokered a deal with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state and becoming a full member of the United Nations. On April 22.

After a tour of the European Union (EU) to push the issue, which is deeply divided on the issue – Pedro Sánchez met in April with Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovenian and Belgian leaders – the prime minister strongly backed the Spanish government. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.

The two heads of government jointly undertook a common plan to recognize a Palestinian state amid continuing diplomatic pressure within various European bodies. Spain is also counting on the support of Norwegian Prime Minister Gare Storr (whose country is not a member of the European Union) to seek recognition of a Palestinian state. The starting point of the Middle East peace process “. The latter does not rule out that his country was on the rise at the same time as Spain.

In recent weeks, several Caribbean countries (Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados) have recognized the State of Palestine, increasing the number of 193 UN members to 142, including the Holy See (Vatican). ), like Palestine, has observer state status.

Also, following the United States' April 19 veto in the Security Council of Palestine's full membership in the United Nations, the Palestinian candidacy was submitted to the General Assembly for a vote this Friday. A resolution recommending that the Security Council reconsider the question of Palestinian membership was adopted by a very large majority (143 to 9, with 25 abstentions).