Category: Political

Spain is to recognise the Palestinian state from Tuesday 28 May.

Spain, Ireland and Norway will join seven other European countries that officially acknowledge Palestine, including Sweden, Cyprus and Slovakia.

The three new countries hope that other European states will soon make similar decisions and help highlight the current plight of Palestinians in Gaza, the location of a bloody and prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel. 

It’s being reported that Malta and Slovenia are also considering recognition. 

Countries can’t recognise an actual Palestinian state, as it doesn’t yet exist, but support the idea of creating one.

In total, around 140 of the about 190 UN countries have already recognised the need for a Palestinian state.

The modern-day troubles date back to 1947.

Back then a UN partition plan advocated creation of a Jewish state alongside a Palestinian state. This was not acceptable to Palestinians and the wider Arab world, because they argued that it would have given them less than half of the land, despite Palestinians making up two-thirds of the population.

A year later the Arab-Israeli war saw yet more Israel territory gains, with the West Bank and East Jerusalem controlled by Jordan and Gaza in the hands of Egypt. Another war in 1967 saw Israel grab control of all three areas. 

Many countries agree that a Palestinian state should exist, but only as part of a negotiated settlement. Such negotiations have been stalled since 2009. Countries such as the US, UK, France and Germany are not directly opposed to a Palestinian state, but see it as a result of a wider settlement which is acceptable by all parties.  

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said about his country’s decision: “This recognition is not against anyone, it is not against the Israeli people. It is an act in favour of peace, justice and moral consistency.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said such decisions by countries were a reward for terrorism. He recalled his ambassadors from Spain, Ireland and Norway. 

 

European bureaucrats don’t like golden visas and Spain plans to scrap its scheme over the coming months.

Such schemes, designed to offer wealthy people from outside the European Union residency permits in return investing set amounts in property, have been blamed for housing speculation, putting pressure on locals.

In Spain, golden visas can be ‘bought’ for a half-a-million euros investment (not mortgaged) in a residential property. The visa lasts for three years with various conditions, before it has to be renewed. Similar schemes exist throughout Europe.

As part of the process to scrap the scheme, socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government would now begin to study reforms.

Sánchez said housing is “…a right, not a speculative business.”

Spanish golden visas were first introduced in 2013 by a previous right-wing Popular Party government as a means to attract foreign investors. Since its launch, over 10,000 golden visas have been issued.

Volt, the first pan-European party, believes Spain should lead the way against euroscepticism.

So says Clara Panella Gómez, a Volt candidate for the European Elections 2024.

Writing on the party’s website, she says that while Hungary continues to indulge in inflammatory messages against Brussels, Spain has become one of the most pro-European countries in the Union. 

She believes this “…is good news for those supporting greater integration among Member States – especially during Spain’s presidency of the EU Council – and a fortunate coincidence that should not be wasted. Considering Spain’s significant political weight in the Union, it is their responsibility to develop measures to curb euroscepticism, a challenge that may not have been a priority for others but could have enormous consequences.”

She continues: “The priorities of the EU Council Presidency, presented by the government of Pedro Sánchez, focus on urgent challenges such as the energy crisis and the need for a fairer migration system that respects human rights. However, institutional reform is not among them. It might not be the most attention-grabbing topic, and it raises much suspicion among some Member States, particularly those from central and eastern Europe. Nevertheless, institutional reform holds the key to ending euroscepticism.”

In her eyes, reform of the EU is necessary. Such measures as giving the Parliament legislative initiative power, making the Commission more efficient and effective, creating more channels for citizen participation, starting with electoral law reform (already approved by the European Parliament), and abolishing the right to veto

However, the argument is not that there are enough such proposals, but the political will to see them through. 

Gómez went on to say that while France and Germany have always led the European political agenda, Spain is perceived as a country that could have much more influence in the European Union than it currently does. 

With its presidency of the EU Council, Spain has not only the opportunity but also the responsibility to lead this process by presenting a more ambitious agenda she maintains. It’s time to demonstrate a firm commitment to a more efficient, democratic, and transparent European Union. By doing so, Spain will not only defend the interests of its citizens, but also those of all Europeans.