Spanish foreign minister accuses EU of acting belatedly against Israel

MADRID

Spain’s foreign minister has accused the EU of responding too slowly to Israel's actions in Gaza and called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Speaking to Onda Cero radioon Tuesday, Jose Manuel Albares said: "The EU has done very little against Israel and has acted far too late."

He stressed that the EU must uphold its responsibilities in the face of international conflict.

"The EU must act based on respect for human rights and the sovereignty of states, and it must oppose the use of mechanisms such as war to resolve conflicts," he said.

Albares warned that Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza should prompt immediate action from Brussels.

"If Israel continues its blockade of Gaza, the EU-Israel Association Agreement must be immediately suspended," he said, noting that Spain is leading calls for this measure within the EU.

The foreign minister reiterated Spain’s support for a two-state solution, saying: "There is no alternative to a two-state solution based on a realistic Palestinian state that can determine its own future.

“Arab countries that have not yet recognized Israel should do so. Furthermore, Hamas should have no role in building the future of the Palestinian state."

Criticizing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Albares said: "Israel's only aim is to turn Gaza into a massive graveyard."

"Human rights are being systematically violated in Gaza. Spain will never recognize an illegal annexation in Gaza or the West Bank," he added.

He also commented on the international response to the crisis, including efforts to deliver aid.

While calling airdrops of humanitarian supplies "a drop in the ocean," he said he would "be glad if it helps save even the life of a single baby."

Albares concluded with a stark assessment of the crisis, stating, "due to the famine in Gaza, Israel has complete control over life and death."

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 61,000 Palestinians, almost half of them women and children. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.