<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, welcomed this Wednesday the decision by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel, although he admitted that the Spanish government would like "it to be total."</strong></h4> "I welcome the measures that the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has just proposed regarding the role of the European Union in Gaza and Palestine," Albares declared in the corridors of the Congress. "The Government of Spain has been strongly and insistently requesting all of these measures, and today, once again, thanks to Spain's leadership and influence in the European Union and in defense of innocent Gazan civilians, they are finally beginning to be on the table," he added. “The President of the Commission has the full support of the Spanish government to move forward with this suspension, which she proposes in part,” he continued. “We would like it to be complete, but the partial suspension of this Association Agreement between Israel and the European Union is welcome,” he added. “We Europeans cannot relate normally with Israel when there is a flagrant and systematic daily violation of human rights in Gaza, in Palestine,” he warned. Likewise, Albares “welcomed” the “introduction to the European Union sanctions lists of all those who are violent, extremist, and who want to definitively thwart the two-state solution.” <h5><strong>US accusations</strong></h5> For its part, a US State Department spokesperson criticized on Wednesday the measures adopted by the Spanish government to stop the genocide in Gaza because they could "limit US operations" and, therefore, "embolden terrorists." "It is deeply concerning that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit US operations," the spokesperson stated, referring to two of the measures announced on Monday by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: the ban on ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from stopping in Spain and the denial of Spanish airspace to state aircraft transporting military equipment to Israel. With these measures, he added, Spain "is turning its back on Israel on the same day that six people were killed in Jerusalem." "These measures embolden terrorists," he added. <h5><strong>Von der Leyen's announcement</strong></h5> During the State of the Union Debate (SOTEU), Von der Leyen warned the European Parliament on Wednesday that “what Gaza is suffering has shaken the conscience of the world” and affirmed that “man-made famine can never be a weapon of war.” She also mentioned the financial suffocation of the Palestinian Authority and the statements made by the most extremist ministers in the Israeli government, which reflect a "will to eliminate the two-state solution," and warned that "we cannot let this happen." "It truly pains me to say these words, but I know that for many citizens, Europe's inability to find a solution is painful," she acknowledged. Europe "must lead, as it has previously," the search for a lasting and just solution to the conflict, she stated. Therefore, Von der Leyen announced that the European Commission will take concrete measures in response to the situation, such as suspending "bilateral support for Israel" and will present "two more proposals to the European Council": the first, to "propose sanctions against extremist ministers and violent settlers" and the second, to "propose the partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related issues." Although she acknowledged the difficulty of finding majorities among member states, "we must assume shared responsibilities," the president warned, aware that the proposed measures could be seen as excessive by some and too moderate by others. Von der Leyen also announced the creation of a "donor group for Palestine," which will include a "specific instrument for the reconstruction of Gaza," with the aim of providing more direct and structured support to the area affected by the conflict.
