CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST | The dialogue between the Government and the opposition on this State issue is null for the moment and Sánchez has limited himself, during his joint appearance with the Portuguese Prime Minister, to the fact that “the entire opposition will be informed when the decision is made.”
Portugal will not join the group of European countries with which Pedro Sánchez’s Government is trying to forge alliances for “joint” recognition of the State of Palestine. The Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, has shown himself in favor of the two-state solution to overcome the conflict between Israel and Palestine, but not now, but to wait. to do it in a “multilateral” way. This is what Montenegro said after meeting with Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace in what is his first institutional visit abroad. The head of the Executive has managed to join forces in recent days, within the framework of his European tour, with Norway and Ireland to take these steps.
“We are not going as far as other governments at the moment when it comes to the recognition of the State of Palestine,” Montenegro has clarified to argue that it is committed to a greater “consensus” to be reached within the framework of the EU and the UN. However, Portugal will support Palestine’s entry as a full member of the UN when this non-binding debate takes place within the General Assembly if, as expected, the US exercises its right to veto in the Council of Security this Thursday.
The head of the Executive has regretted that the international community has “taken a long time” in recognizing the Palestinian State. Spain, as it has advanced, will position itself in favor in this Thursday’s debate, where it has a voice, but no vote to mark its position.
He will inform Feijóo and the rest of the opposition
The objective, after that, is to take the step. “together” with other European countries in Spain’s orbit -Slovenia, Malta, Norway, Ireland and even Belgium-, regardless of the result of the vote. According to Sánchez, this is the necessary way “to lay the foundations that allow us to guarantee peace and coexistence between both peoples.” The President of the Government has defended that the coherent position, if the full membership of Palestine in the UN is supported, is also to unilaterally recognize the Palestinian State. “That is what we are going to do from the Government of Spain,” he reaffirmed himself during his joint comparison with the Portuguese prime minister.
The time horizon for the recognition of the Palestinian State is the first half of this year. The PP embraces the two-state solution, but considers that this is not the time without the support of other important countries. The dialogue between the Government and the opposition on this matter of State is null for the moment and Sánchez has limited himself to the fact that “the entire opposition will be informed when the decision is made.”
Sánchez has rejected criticism from the opposition about his delay in condemning Iran’s attack against Israel this Saturday night and has joked about the control of “a minute before or a tweet after.” Regarding the attack on Israeli territory, he stressed that “we have not only condemned, but requested.” containment because nobody wants a regional escalation”. Along these lines, he argued that “we have to be careful in approaching the dilemma of a “warlike escalation” that would lead us to the “abyss” or the path of peace and diplomacy. Hence, he has asked the main opposition party for “responsibility” in the face of such a “serious and complex” scenario.