Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Sunday urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel to stop the ongoing war in Gaza. Speaking ahead of a summit in Madrid that will bring together representatives from 20 European and Arab nations, Albares told France Info radio, "We must stop this war, which no longer has any objective."
He called for "massive, unobstructed" humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, stressing that such assistance must be delivered neutrally and "not be subject to Israel deciding who gets to eat and who doesn't."
The upcoming Madrid summit will include officials from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It takes place amid increasing European diplomatic pressure on Israel and as the European Union considers re-evaluating its cooperation agreement with the Jewish state. "We must consider sanctions," Albares emphasized. "We must do everything possible to stop this war."
Albares reiterated that humanitarian aid must be allowed into Gaza "massively, without obstruction, in a neutral manner, so that Israel is not the one deciding who gets to eat and who does not."
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela also announced Sunday that his country would recognize a Palestinian state next month. "We cannot close our eyes to the human tragedy," he said, referring to the war in Gaza.
Malta, along with Spain, Slovenia, Belgium and Ireland, is considered part of the pro-Palestinian bloc within European Union institutions.
Europe ramps up pressure
Spain's call marks a shift in the European stance toward Israel. Since European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas succeeded the more Israel-critical Josep Borrell, the tone of European criticism had softened. However, the past several days have seen a reversal of that trend, with continued reports of fighting and famine in Gaza sparking renewed condemnation.
Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada issued a joint warning this week that their countries would take action if Israel does not halt its military offensive in Gaza and lift aid restrictions. "The Israeli government's failure to allow essential humanitarian aid for the civilian population is unacceptable," read the joint statement from the UK. "We will not hesitate to take further steps, including targeted sanctions," they warned.
Additionally, 14 donor countries to United Nations aid agencies - including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK - issued a stern statement demanding that Israel allow humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately. The statement emphasized that such aid "must not be used as political leverage or as a means to engineer demographic change."
The Prime ministers of Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia joined Spain, Ireland, and Norway in issuing a collective rebuke of Israel, declaring they "will not remain silent" in the face of "the killing of more than 50,000 men, women, and children."
Given that Europe is Israel's largest trading partner, Jerusalem is treating the Europe with increasing seriousness. The Israeli Foreign Ministry is undertaking a wide-ranging diplomatic mesures to stem this "European tide". Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar is in maintains contact with his European counterparts, and senior ministry officials are providing briefings in an effort to prevent decisions that could harm Israel diplomatically.
