NEW YORK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sharply criticized Israel over its war on Gaza during his address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of continuing genocide in the territory.
Sánchez said his government “unreservedly condemns” the ongoing genocide in Gaza and criticized double standards in the international response to wars and crises.
He warned against efforts to undermine the United Nations and the multilateral system, calling for adherence to international law, support for international judicial institutions and accountability for those responsible for violations.
The Spanish position comes within Madrid’s broader policy toward the war in Gaza. Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024 alongside Ireland and Norway, imposed restrictions related to military ties with Israel, and pushed within the European Union for a review of relations with Tel Aviv over the situation in Gaza.
Sánchez’s remarks came amid growing criticism of Israel at the UN General Assembly, where several world leaders addressed the war in Gaza and conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Israel’s “genocidal mentality,” while UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the scale of killing and destruction in Gaza exceeded what he had witnessed in years of humanitarian work.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also blamed Netanyahu’s government for genocide in Gaza, while French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Israeli policies in the West Bank.
The statements come as the General Assembly continues amid wide debate over the war in Gaza, conditions in the West Bank, the future of the Palestinian issue and mechanisms for international accountability.
