<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, met this Monday in Brussels with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, with whom he discussed "the best way" to make Operation Crossing the Strait compatible with the "normal" passage of goods through the customs offices of Ceuta and Melilla.</strong></h4> "I just had a meeting with him, Nasser Bourita, with whom we discussed the best way to strengthen our bilateral relationship and, obviously, we also discussed the customs situation in Ceuta and Melilla and the best way to make Operation Crossing the Strait, which represents an immense human journey, compatible with the fact that goods can continue to pass through normally during this period, as they have been doing and will do again until now, through the customs offices of Ceuta and Melilla," Albares stated before participating in the Southern Neighborhood ministerial meeting in Brussels. Through Operation Crossing the Strait, hundreds of thousands of citizens of North African origin cross Spain each year to travel to and from their countries of origin during the summer. Separately, Albares denied that the recent slowdown in the flow of goods has anything to do with an alleged attempt to close customs offices, because, he warned, the agreements between Spain and Morocco allow for "reducing and even temporarily paralyzing the flow of goods when it is necessary to devote all efforts to the passage of travelers," as is the case with the current Operation Crossing the Strait. These reports, according to the minister, are part of the attempts to "sabotage any good relations" between Madrid and Rabat. This Monday's meeting was Albares's second with Bourita this year and the eleventh since taking office in July 2021. At the previous meeting, which took place in Madrid in April 2025, the Foreign Minister reiterated Spain's support for the autonomy plan proposed by King Mohammed VI in 2007, which represents "the most serious, realistic, and credible solution" to the Sahrawi conflict. <h5><strong>Bilateral Meetings: The New Palestinian Foreign Minister</strong></h5> On the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, Albares also met this Monday with the European Commissioner for Trade, Interinstitutional Relations, and Transparency, Maros Sefcovic, with whom he discussed "the next steps" for the entry into force of the agreement regarding Gibraltar and "the negotiations he is personally conducting to reach a trade agreement with the United States." The minister also held bilateral meetings with his Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts, Ayman Safadi and Badr Abdelaty, with whom he discussed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional entry of massive humanitarian aid, the two-state solution, and the work of UNRWA. <span class="jCAhz ChMk0b"><span class="ryNqvb">He also met with his new Palestinian counterpart, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, to whom he conveyed "Spain's commitment to the State of Palestine and peace in the region through the two-state solution" and to "the end of the war in Gaza."</span></span> <span class="jCAhz ChMk0b"><span class="ryNqvb">"The Palestinian people deserve to live in peace and dignity," he wrote on social media.</span></span>
