<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, received this Thursday at the La Moncloa Complex the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, who conveyed to him his “deep gratitude for Spain’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine” and proposed that the international peace conference proposed by the Spanish Government “be held in Madrid”.</strong></h4> “We have come to you from Palestine to express, on behalf of the Palestinian people, our deep appreciation for Spain’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine, which is proof of its commitment to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” Abbas told the media at the end of his first meeting with Sánchez since the recognition of the State on 28 May. “We also appreciate your efforts in the European Union and in international forums and your role in supporting the implementation of the two-state solution in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy,” he continued. “We cannot forget Spain’s role as host of the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991 and, in this regard, we have called and continue to call for an international peace conference to be convened, as confirmed by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and we will be happy to see it held in Madrid,” he said. “We also reiterate our gratitude to Spain for joining the complaint filed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice in the case of genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip, which reflects Spain’s commitment as a State, people and Government to the principles of international law and international legitimacy,” he added. “In this context, we proudly recall your recent visit to Palestine and the humanitarian aid provided by Spain, as well as your interest in reaching the Rafah crossing to express your solidarity with our afflicted people and the humanitarian aspects that the just cause of our people represents,” he said, referring to the visit made by Sánchez last November to the Middle East, accompanied by the then Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, to try to defuse the conflict. <h5><strong>Pedro Sánchez</strong></h5> For his part, Pedro Sánchez said that Abbas’s visit is “a very important milestone in the history of our two countries.” He also called for an urgent end to the war in Gaza and warned of the risk of escalation in the region, specifically in Lebanon, where he has called for “restraint”. The government yesterday condemned the electronic attacks that occurred in Lebanon on 17 and 18 September, which have caused dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries, with numerous victims among the civilian population. “These indiscriminate attacks are contrary to International Humanitarian Law and threaten the security and stability of Lebanon, Israel and the entire region,” the government said in a press release. “We call for restraint from all actors. It is necessary to avoid an even greater escalation of violence and the risk of open war with unforeseeable consequences,” it concluded. In this regard, he stated that it is “absolutely necessary” for the parties to agree to a ceasefire in accordance with the provisions of resolution 2735 of the United Nations Security Council, which puts an end to the violence, guarantees humanitarian assistance to the civilian population and allows the release of all hostages, because “we cannot remain impassive in the face of the suffering of thousands of innocent people”. Likewise, President Sánchez warned of “the threat looming over the international order based on rules”, which constitutes the fundamental pillar that guarantees international peace and security and for which it is necessary to “denounce any violation” of International Law and International Humanitarian Law. In this regard, the President of the Government recalled the Advisory Opinion issued on July 19 by the International Court of Justice, which establishes the illegality of the Israeli occupation of the occupied territories, and warned that the precautionary measures established by this same Court, which call for the end of the Israeli military offensive, “are mandatory.” Pedro Sánchez also highlighted the upcoming celebration of the first intergovernmental meeting between the Government of Spain and the Government of Palestine, which “will contribute to structuring future bilateral relations in various areas,” and noted that the ministerial meeting that will take place on September 26 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York will be essential to get more countries to join the objective of reviving the political process and offering a political perspective that “restores hope to the Palestinian people.”
