Spanish left urges break of ties with 'Israel', renege on NATO pledge
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Spanish left-wing political parties have called on the government to take immediate action against relations with "Israel".
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Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addresses the European Parliament Wednesday, December 13, 2023, in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP)
Spain's two main leftist parties, Sumar and Podemos, called for the severance of ties with the Israeli occupation.
However, regarding the Spanish PM's plan to recognize Palestine as an official state before the summer, Podemos Secretary-General Ione Belarra urged Sanchez to effectuate it "tomorrow".
She also asked the Prime Minister to suspend arms sales to "Israel" and cut all ties with the occupation amid its brutal genocide in Gaza.
Slamming the European Union's efforts regarding the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, Belarra said the coalition "has not devoted a single minute to peace, nor to diplomacy."
Her calls were championed by Sumar parliamentary spokesperson Iñigo Errejón, who called for the end of trade and diplomatic relations with "Israel", a complete and absolute arms embargo, and the proper prosecution of those responsible for the massacres against the Palestinian people before the International Criminal Court.
He drew a comparison to Spain's attitude toward Ukraine in its war against Russia, saying, "What is valid for Ukraine has to be valid for Palestine."
Recognizing Palestine state European geopolitical interest: Spanish PM
Pedro Sanchez cautioned, on Wednesday, that "Israel's" "disproportionate" war on Gaza could lead to destabilization in the Middle East, with global ramifications leading to instability in the whole world.
Sanchez emphasized that Europe's geopolitical interests are served by acknowledging a Palestinian state, a move that has faced resistance from "Israel" and its main allies.
During a recent trip to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, Sanchez broached the topic of statehood, suggesting that Spain might formally recognize Palestine as a nation by the conclusion of June.
"The international community cannot help the Palestinian state if it does not recognize its existence," Sanchez told lawmakers Wednesday.
In further detail, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to meet with leaders from Norway and Portugal, among others, in the following days to address the matter, as stated by Spanish government spokesperson Pilar Alegria on Tuesday. Sanchez has emerged as a prominent critic of "Israel" since the outset of its Gaza genocide, killing 33,360 and injuring 75,993.
He previously raised concerns about the footage depicting the increasing civilian death toll in Gaza, mainly among children, and stated, "I have serious doubts Israel is complying with international humanitarian law."
Sanchez expressed that Spain demands a ceasefire and wants humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, in addition to an international conference for peace.
Backtrack from NATO
The left-wing political parties also requested that Spain backtrack from its requirement to inflate its national defense budget to a total of 2% of its GDP, as per NATO alliance provisions.
“The majority of the Spanish working class should not make any sacrifices to fatten the military industry or the war economy. They won’t find us there in any case,” Errejón told Sanchez, during a national debate in parliament.
Spain's latest draft for the 2024 defense budget encompasses a 1.3% increase in GDP. Sanchez has vowed to reach the 2% mark by 2029 as imposed by NATO. Consequently, governmental projections indicate that Spanish defense spending could surpass €13.4 billion in 2024.
Belarra, in turn, accused Sanchez of leaning toward European right and far-right policies and factions, following his pledge to increase military spending and actively engaging in the "arms race".
“Rearmament does not stop war, it feeds it, that is what history teaches us and we should not forget it when we hear siren songs in the United States, and an arms race,” she said.
