Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez this Monday demanded the “effective return” of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza instead Hamaswhich cannot be a “peace partner” in the Middle East.

This was said at the opening Regional Forum of the Mediterranean Union, which takes place in the Art Nouveau venue of Sant Pau in Barcelona, ​​with the aim of analyzing the situation in the Middle East and, in particular, the war in the Gaza Strip. Albarez’s statements came amid a diplomatic crisis with Israel, which accused Sanchez of “supporting terrorism” after a visit to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Egypt, during which the government president called on Tel Aviv to respect international humanitarian law. regarding indiscriminate bombings in the Gaza Strip that killed more than 14,800 people.

The forum brings together representatives of 43 member states of the Union of the Mediterranean (UfM), co-chaired by Josep BorrellHigh Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan.

Albarez is the host of this meeting, which also includes the Secretary General of the UFM. Nasser Kameland the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhanrepresenting the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee.

In his opening speech, Albarez decided to “offer all support – European, Arab, international – to accompany and make possible the restoration of legitimate authority in the Gaza Strip.”

“The Palestinian Authority is our only possible partner for peace,” Albarez stressed after the controversy that arose in recent days following Israeli accusations against Spanish government President Pedro Sánchez of “supporting terrorism” by Hamas.

Albarez advocated “materializing the two-state solution once and for all” with the creation of a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel,” and “it was for this purpose that Spain proposed convening an international peace conference with Israel.” sides.”

According to the minister, “Hamas cannot be the one to lead the Gaza Strip” because “it does not have a program for peaceful coexistence” and “it cannot play a role in the future in implementing a two-state solution.” is to encourage the Palestinian Authority, which “is a partner for peace,” to take its place.

The minister called on the international community to “lose no more time” and work towards an agreement that “guarantees peace and security throughout the region.”

“The message of hope and peace must come from Barcelona,” said Albarez, who today called the city “the political and diplomatic capital of the Mediterranean.”

Condemns Hamas

Albarez stressed that Spain “condemned Hamas because it showed that it only knows how to destroy,” which was evident during the October 7 attack, when “Israel suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history.”

The victims of this “terrorist barbarity” that claimed the lives of two Spaniards have “all the solidarity of Spain,” said Albarez, who asked for an extension of the “humanitarian ceasefire” and demanded that Israel “scrupulously respect international humanitarian law.” “.

“The death of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians is unacceptable,” condemned Albarez, who demanded a solution that “this time must be final.”

Support for a “two-state solution”

For his part, SFM Secretary General Nasser Kamel also defended the “two-state solution” and condemned both the Hamas attack on October 7 and Israel’s “collective punishment” of the Palestinian population.

Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke in a similar vein, calling for “an end to military operations” and proposing “to move toward a serious and credible peace plan” that involves a “two-state solution.”

For his part, Borrell said this Monday that “there will be no peace and security for Israel without a Palestinian state” and called for the return of a “renewed” Palestinian National Authority in the Gaza Strip.

In his inauguration speech, Borrell, who expressed regret that Israel did not attend the meeting, stressed that the Jewish country has its place in the FMS, expressed hope that it would attend again and said he was aware of the “trauma and the anger” that exists in the region.

In this regard, he condemned Hamas’ “unjustifiable brutality” against civilians on October 7, but also criticized Israel’s “disproportionate” response, stressing that “one horror cannot justify another horror.”

Given the current four-day truce, which ends this Monday, Borrell called for the ceasefire to be “extended” and “made more sustainable” while working towards a political solution to “break the cycle of violence forever.”

“The more we allow extremists to set the agenda, the more extremism will spread not only in the region, but will also affect Europe,” warned Borrell, who has criticized Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

“The violence spread by extremist settlers in the West Bank, often protected by Israeli police and army, does not make Israel safer,” he said.

At the doors of the Art Nouveau complex of Sant Pau, about thirty people gathered from nine in the morning under the slogan “Permanent Ceasefire,” with Palestinian flags and shouts of “Free Palestine” and “Boycott Israel.”