Spain's premier discusses Gaza, Lebanon with Qatari emir, Egyptian president

ISTANBUL

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday held phone conversations with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to address the critical situation caused by Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.

"In light of the gravity of the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, I spoke with the Emir of Qatar and the President of Egypt. Both have demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing regional tensions, and I reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to peace and stability in the region," Sanchez said on X.

Emphasizing the necessity of a cease-fire in Gaza to reduce tensions, Sanchez added: "We must continue supporting the two-state solution as the only viable path to peace in the Middle East. In this mission, Euro-Arab cooperation is crucial."

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares is scheduled to brief lawmakers in parliament on Nov. 28 regarding the latest developments in the Middle East and Spain's efforts to promote peace in the region.

Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, recognized the state of Palestine in May and is among the EU states that said they would meet their commitments to the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel is separately accused of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.