The Popular Party supports the Government’s decision on the conditional recognition of Palestine
The leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has expressed his public support for the president, Pedro Sánchez, in the search for a two-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East. However, he has raised the condition that the support of several important countries be obtained and that the decision be the result of a negotiation process.
Feijóo distances himself from José María Aznar’s position
These statements by Feijóo contradict the position of former Prime Minister José María Aznar, who recently described this solution as ‘absurd’. Despite the fact that this proposal was included in the last electoral program of the Popular Party and ratified in 2014 with its support for a declaration in the Congress of Deputies.
Criticism and responses among political leaders
Given these opinions, the President of the Government questioned the position of the Popular Party regarding the recognition of Palestine, highlighting its leadership among the EU countries that have not yet recognized the two states. Furthermore, Feijóo has raised the need for a joint decision with other important countries, which Sánchez criticized, questioning whether this is the proposal for Spain’s foreign policy.
Feijóo, for his part, reaffirmed his support for the two-state solution, but clarified that the ‘how’ and ‘when’ are key aspects to achieving a permanent solution. Furthermore, he insisted that this decision must arise from a negotiating process and have the support of a critical mass of influential countries before its resolution.
Bet on the recognition of the State of Palestine
For his part, President Pedro Sánchez has reaffirmed his position in favor of the recognition of the State of Palestine, initiating contacts with European leaders to promote this position. Furthermore, he has pointed out the importance of increasing investment in defense to strengthen Europe’s security in the international context marked by instability and conflict.
Call to increase investment in defense
Sánchez emphasized the need to strengthen the defense industry to guarantee the security of Europe, indicating that the defense deficit of European countries amounts to 56 billion. Likewise, he urged to correct this situation with investments in digital capabilities and vulnerabilities to modernize and strengthen defense capabilities in the region.
Criticism of the opposition and call for cooperation
Sánchez reproached the opposition for following a strategy of
The president’s appearance was also used by other political leaders to express their opinions. Podemos spokesperson, Ione Belarra, criticized the strategy of
Gabriel Rufián, from ERC, demanded that Spain stop trading with Israel and lead international efforts to take Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a human rights court due to his actions in Gaza.
For his part, Sumar’s spokesperson, Íñigo Errejón, questioned the PSOE’s distancing strategy in the context of an electoral cycle, calling to preserve the unity and strength of the coalition.