Spain Calls for EU Arms Embargo on Israel Amid Gaza Tensions

Madrid: Spain has called for a European Union arms embargo on Israel and urged immediate action to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza during an expanded ministerial meeting of the Madrid Group, held in the Spanish capital, Madrid. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the high-level meeting was attended by foreign ministers from key European and Arab nations, including Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Norway, Iceland, Slovenia, and Malta. The discussions centered on implementing the two-state solution and addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa also participated in the talks. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares warned that silence over Israel's ongoing killing of innocent Palestinian civilians amounts to complicity. He called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and urged stronger enforcement of arms restrictions on Israel. Spain stated that it does not rule out any measures, including individual sanctions targeting Israeli politicians, emphasizing that Palestine must be granted the same rights as Israel. The only viable path forward, it stressed, remains the implementation of the two-state solution. The Spanish Foreign Minister emphasized that punishing the Palestinian people indefinitely is unacceptable and asserted that the two-state solution is not opposed to Israel but serves to protect its security. He condemned the war as unjustifiable and described Israel's actions as effectively turning Gaza into a vast graveyard. Albares reiterated Spain's commitment to ending the war, emphasizing that the goal is to halt the inhumane war. He condemned Israel's continued killing of innocent civilians and warned that remaining silent amounts to complicity. He also called on all UN member states to raise their voices against Israel's blockade preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The minister emphasized that the core priorities of the Madrid meeting were an i mmediate end to Israeli violence in Gaza, ensuring unrestricted and unconditional humanitarian access, and renewing momentum for the two-state solution.