Spain calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state to “achieve peace in Gaza”

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez said on Wednesday that a Palestinian state must be formed permanently in order to achieve peace in Gaza.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez said on Wednesday that a Palestinian state must be formed permanently in order to achieve peace in Gaza.

This came during a joint press conference held with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, following a meeting that took place between them at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters in the capital, Ankara. Paris indicated that, during his meeting with Fidan, he discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He explained: "We talked about how to return peace to the Middle East," and he expressed his country's desire for "the necessity of achieving a ceasefire as quickly and permanently as possible, and for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without restrictions or conditions."

Albarez pointed out that Spain has tripled its humanitarian aid to Palestine since the beginning of the war.

He said: "We want the release of all hostages. Spain is pursuing a policy of peace with its partners and friends and with the whole world, and I would like to stress that Turkey has a special place for us in this context."

Regarding his views on restoring peace in Gaza, Albarez stressed: “The Palestinian state must be formed permanently, and this is the condition for security, peace and stability to come to the Palestinians, the Israelis, all countries and the Middle East.”

He pointed out that Spain has a proposal to hold a peace conference on the Palestinian issue. Albarez explained: “We can all meet in a peace conference, recognize the Palestinian state, and Israel can give us a security guarantee here.”

He continued: "We do not want to witness this level of violence." He expressed his country's concern about the spillover of the conflict into Lebanon.

The Spanish minister said that his country imposed sanctions on Israel, and stated that Madrid stands against Israel's behavior in violation of international law. Albarez added that Spain "does not supply Israel with any other weapons."

Partnership relations between Spain and Turkey

Albarez stressed that Turkey is a very important partner for Spain, and that it is one of the rare countries in which they hold summits at the leadership level.

He pointed out that the friendly relations between Spain and Turkey have deepened as two allied Mediterranean countries.

He pointed out that both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean and NATO.

He stressed that his country supports Turkiye's membership in the European Union and its ratification.

Albarez stressed the importance of the transatlantic partnership between Spain and Turkey in NATO, and stated that the two countries cooperate in the fields of security and defense.

Emphasizing the trade cooperation between the two countries, Albarez said that more than 700 companies based in Spain have a presence in Turkey, and the trade volume between the two countries amounts to $19 billion.

He expressed his thanks to Minister Fidan for the hospitality, and continued: "This visit is one of the biggest proofs for us that Turkey is a true friend of Spain, and Spain is also an ally and friend of Turkey."