Spain vs Israel: Did Pedro Sánchez Just Cross a Diplomatic Red Line?

Spain’s government has officially acknowledged the existence of an independent State of Palestine, which has led to a severe diplomatic crisis with Israel and has exposed significant divisions within the European Union’s foreign policy. On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government approved the measure, asserting that the recognition was based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This decision has crossed what Israel has long regarded as a diplomatic red line.

Israel responded swiftly and vehemently to the decision, recalling its ambassador to Madrid and accusing Spain of compromising its security. Sánchez’s high-stakes move could either isolate Spain or galvanize other European nations to take similar actions.

Key Takeaways

• Formal Recognition: Spain has officially recognized the State of Palestine based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, a significant departure from the EU’s consensus approach.
• Israeli Fury: Israel has recalled its ambassador from Madrid for “indefinite consultations” and summoned the Spanish ambassador in Tel Aviv, calling the move a “reward for terror.”
• EU Divisions Exposed: The unilateral action by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has exposed deep divisions within the European Union on its Middle East policy.
• Geopolitical Gamble: The move is a high-stakes diplomatic gamble by Sánchez, aimed at pressuring Israel and galvanizing a broader European push for a two-state solution.

A Calculated Diplomatic Rupture

The formal recognition was announced following a cabinet meeting and was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, Spain’s official gazette. In a televised address, Prime Minister Sánchez called the decision a “historic act of justice” and the “only way to advance towards the only possible solution: a Palestinian state that coexists alongside the State of Israel in peace and security.”

This unilateral step breaks from the long-held position of most Western nations, which maintain that the recognition of a Palestinian state should only come as part of a final negotiated peace settlement with Israel.

Israel’s reaction was swift. A statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, reported by Reuters, condemned the move as a “grotesque decision that constitutes a reward for terror” and vowed there would be “severe consequences.”

EU Unity in Tatters

Spain’s decision has thrown the European Union’s already fragile consensus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into disarray. While Ireland and Norway have made similar moves, Spain is the first major EU power to take this step, potentially paving the way for others like Belgium and Slovenia.

However, powerhouse nations like Germany and France have reiterated their position that recognition is not currently on the table, fearing it will destabilize the region further. An EU official, speaking anonymously to the Financial Times, described the mood in Brussels as “extremely tense,” with Spain’s action seen as undermining the bloc’s collective diplomatic efforts.

Analysts suggest Sánchez’s move is a gamble aimed at re-energizing the debate around a two-state solution. “Sánchez is forcing the issue,” said Nathalie Tocci, Director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, a foreign policy think tank. “He is betting that the moral and political weight of recognition will create new momentum that the EU and the US can no longer ignore.”

Also read, Could the Hyundai ICE Raid Spark a U.S.–South Korea Diplomatic Crisis Over Foreign Workers?.

FAQs