Spain is willing to move ahead by itself on the matter of recognizing Palestinian statehood, though it would prefer to act alongside other EU members, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday.
Spain currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Belgium will take over in January. Sanchez and his Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, spoke to reporters at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, just before the Qatar-brokered “humanitarian pause” and release of 13 Israeli hostages.
Asked if he would support unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state, Sanchez declared that “the moment has come” for the EU and the rest of the “international community” to do so.