“Gaza belongs to the Palestinian and the people living in Gaza,” José Manuel Albares Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs told Euronews’ Europe Conversation, reacting to recent comments by Donald Trump.
Gaza belongs to the Palestinians, who must remain there, Spain’s foreign minister told Euronews’ Europe Conversation, pushing back against recent remarks by US President Donald Trump.
The US President called to “clean out” the Gaza Strip and to move its inhabitants to Jordan and Egypt, which both countries strongly rejected. Trump’s idea runs counter to US foreign policy to date, which has so far favoured a two-state solution, also supported by the EU.
“Certainly, Gaza belongs to the Palestinian and the people living in Gaza, the Palestinian[s] living in Gaza must remain there and we must help them to rebuild a new life,” said José Manuel Albares.
“And, of course, we must keep an eye on violent settlers that kill also innocent Palestinians in the West Bank. Illegal settlements are against international law. United Nations have condemned it many, many times,” the Spanish foreign minister added.
According to Albares, the international community must provide humanitarian aid, support through the UN, reconstruction assistance and “political support as soon as possible”.
Albares also criticised European allies.
“There are some countries who will allow Netanyahu [to] come into their soil. Poland, Hungary, potentially France [E]ven though there’s an arrest warrant for the International Criminal Court. So how has Europe done when it comes to protecting and defending international law regarding Palestine?”
He believes that the EU should make its own policy regardless of what others do or think. “I think we are spending too much time on what someone else says or thinks. What’s important for me is what we are going to do, how united Europeans we are going to be, how united we are going to be around our values. And our values are very clear. Equal sovereignty of a states territorial integrity,” he said.
The Spanish minister called for the EU to back UNRWA, the UN agency assisting Palestinians. Israel has said UNWRA must end operations and leave Jerusalem by January 30.
A ceasefire is currently in place in Gaza after 15 months of war.
The full conversation will be available on Global Conversation.
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