RAFAH, Egypt — The Israeli authorities stated Friday it could summon the Belgian and Spanish ambassadors following remarks by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his Belgian counterpart Alexander de Croo on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement got here after the 2 leaders criticized Israel for the struggling of Palestinian civilians underneath Israeli navy operations in Gaza. Sánchez additionally referred to as for European Union recognition of a Palestinian state, saying Spain would possibly achieve this by itself.
Speaking at a joint press convention on the Egyptian aspect of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Friday, Sánchez stated the time had come for the worldwide neighborhood and the European Union to as soon as and for all acknowledge a Palestinian state. He stated it could be higher if the EU did it collectively, “but if this is not the case … Spain will take their own decisions.”
Sánchez was talking on the finish of a two-day go to to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Egypt with de Croo. Spain at the moment holds the EU’s rotational presidency and Belgium takes over in January.
Sánchez reiterated feedback made Thursday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning the killing of civilians.
“I also reiterate Israel’s right to defend itself but it must do so within the parameters and limits imposed by international humanitarian law and this is not the case,” Sánchez stated. “The indiscriminate killing of civilians, including thousands of boys and girls, are completely unacceptable.”
De Croo didn’t touch upon recognition of a Palestinian state, however stated, “first things first, let’s stop the violence. Let’s liberate the hostages. Let’s get the aid inside … the first priority is help people who are suffering.”
De Croo careworn the necessity and hope for a everlasting cease-fire, including that this “needs to be built together. And it can only be built together if both parties understand that the solution to this conflict is never going to be violence. A solution to this conflict is that people sit around the table.”
“A military operation needs to respect international humanitarian law. The killing of civilians needs to stop now. Way too many people have died. The destruction of Gaza is unacceptable,” he stated.
“We cannot accept that a society is being destroyed the way it is being destroyed,” he added.
Israel later lashed out on the two prime ministers “for not placing full responsibility for the crimes against humanity committed by Hamas, who massacred our citizens and used the Palestinians as human shields.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen instructed the nations’ ambassadors to be summoned for a pointy reprimand. “We condemn the false claims of the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium who give support to terrorism,” Cohen stated.
“Israel is acting according to international law and fighting a murderous terrorist organization worse than (the Islamic State group) that commits war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares responded to the summon of Spain’s ambassador late Friday.
“The Israeli government’s accusations against the President of the Government and the Belgian Prime Minister are totally false and unacceptable,” he stated in an announcement. “We categorically reject them.”
Albares stated the Spanish prime minister has publicly and repeatedly defended Israel’s proper to self-defense and that his tour within the area this week was looking for “a path to peace.”
