Spain Supports Macron’s Request for a UN Alliance to Help Stabilize Gaza
Spain had indicated that it supported Emmanuel Macron’s plan to form a global coalition with a UN mandate to stabilize Gaza.
Calling it “one of the tools” that could help bring peace to the region, Spain on Wednesday expressed support for French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to form an international coalition under a United Nations mandate to stabilize Gaza.
Speaking on Monday, Macron stated that the proposed UN mission would be responsible for maintaining the security of the Gaza Strip, safeguarding people, and assisting a Palestinian government that has not yet been determined. He said France will work with its partners to push the initiative forward and encouraged the UN Security Council to start working on creating the mission.
Spain’s Foreign Ministry responded in writing, saying, “The proposal … is one of the tools that can help achieve peace and security in Gaza and the Middle East, as is the work of UNRWA as the UN agency for aid to the Palestinian people.”
Madrid emphasized that the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel in areas Israel seized during the 1967 war should be the first step towards a two-state solution.
One of the most vocal opponents of Israel’s continuous military war in Gaza, Spain was one of the few EU nations to recognize a Palestinian state last year; today, France has joined the club. Macron’s proposal comes after he announced last month that he recognized Palestinian statehood, prompting Britain, Canada, and Australia to follow suit, formally recognizing the status next month.
A temporary UN presence, according to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, might facilitate the handover of authority to a Palestinian state administration, thereby promoting “peace and security for all.”
The call for international action follows last week’s approval by Israel’s security cabinet of a plan to seize control of Gaza City and step up its operations in the war-torn region, a move that has been strongly criticized both domestically and internationally.
