Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday urged other European Union members to support Madrid and Ireland’s call for the suspension of the EU's free trade agreement with Israel, citing the country's actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Pedro Sanchez and Emmanuel Macron © Mena Today
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday urged other European Union members to support Madrid and Ireland’s call for the suspension of the EU's free trade agreement with Israel, citing the country's actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Spain and Ireland have been in talks with other EU nations for months, seeking a revision of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. They argue that Israel may be violating the human rights clause of the agreement in its conduct of military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
Since the start of the Gaza conflict on October 7, Sanchez has adopted a strongly critical stance towards Israel. This aligns with the long-standing position of Spain’s socialist party and its far-left allies.
Along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Sanchez has called for a halt to arms deliveries to Israel as a step towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
This position, however, appears unrealistic and even laughable, as Sanchez and Macron's approach ignores the broader geopolitical dynamics.
It's unlikely they will make similar requests for Iran to cease its arms shipments to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The stance of these European leaders highlights what many see as a form of diplomatic cowardice in addressing the complex conflicts in the Middle East.
By Michel Sfeir
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Ankara on Thursday for an official visit during which he is due to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss economic and security cooperation.
A new Jewish-Arab political party is courting young voters ahead of Israel's October election. But critics say it risks weakening the bid by the already underrepresented Arab minority to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rightist government.
A group of Lebanese lawyers filed a complaint with the country's top prosecutor on Wednesday requesting an investigation into banker Antoun Sehnaoui over a dinner he allegedly co-hosted in Washington that was attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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