Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that the joint decision with Malta, Ireland, and Slovenia to recognize the state of Palestine "if appropriate conditions arise" is "a fair decision and could help resolve conflicts between Israel and Palestine."
The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Malta released a joint statement on Friday announcing that they will recognize a Palestinian state.
The statement said the countries' leaders agreed that "the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security."
The statement said the four leaders discussed their "readiness" to recognize an independent Palestine.
It added that they will do so "when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right."
Sanchez answered reporters' questions after the European Union (EU) Summit held in Brussels.
"I reiterate my call for an urgent ceasefire and for Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza," said Sanchez, adding that their decision with Ireland, Slovenia, and Malta to recognize the state of Palestine "if appropriate conditions arise" would contribute to achieving a ceasefire.
Sanchez stressed, "From our perspective, we have always expressed our desire to recognize the state of Palestine in this legislative body. We know that other EU countries also share this idea. So we want to take this step together. It should be a decisive step towards laying the foundations for lasting peace over time. Therefore, we must carefully choose the moment to make this decision."
Speaking about the more than 130 countries worldwide that recognize Palestine, Sanchez said, "This has nothing to do with ideology. I believe we have made a fair decision." He emphasized that Spain's goal is to "increase security in the region, help the peace process, and contribute to ending violence."
