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
Israel's ultranationalist security minister ascended to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday for what he said was a "prayer" for hostages in Gaza, freshly challenging rules over one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel traded blame on Wednesday over their failure to conclude a ceasefire agreement despite progress reported by both sides in past days.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Wednesday that they launched a new missile toward Israel, marking another escalation in their involvement in the ongoing conflict.
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