Mustafa: Israeli occupation practices and crimes must be addressed as threats to international peace and security.
Mustafa calls for international intervention to launch a serious, time-bound political process to end the Israeli occupation and restore Palestinian rights.
Sánchez reaffirms support for the Palestinian government, its developmental plans, reform program, and continued humanitarian aid to Gaza.
MADRID, November 21, 2024 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez chaired the first meeting of the Palestinian-Spanish Joint Ministerial Committee, which was held today at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid.
Prime Minister Mustafa expressed, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, deep gratitude to the Spanish government and people for their steadfast partnership with Palestine. “We trust that this Joint Ministerial Committee will serve as a catalyst for further cooperation between our nations, strengthening the bonds of friendship and solidarity that we cherish,” he said.
Mustafa also extended condolences to the Spanish government and people, particularly residents of Valencia, for the recent devastating floods, expressing solidarity and wishes for a speedy recovery.
The Prime Minister emphasized that this Committee reflects the enduring and strong friendship between Palestine and Spain, symbolizing a shared commitment to cooperation across various sectors, including politics, trade, education, labor, and security.
He expressed Palestine’s deep appreciation for Spain’s unwavering support of the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspirations for freedom, peace, and justice, including the realization of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. He praised Spain’s continued defence of international law and human rights, including the rights of the Palestinian people in international fora.
Mustafa also commended Spain’s vital role in supporting the Palestinian Government’s efforts and program focusing on humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza, recovery and reconstruction, financial stability, and institutional reform.
“We meet today while our Palestinian people in Gaza endure a war of genocide and vengeance, where their fundamental rights are violated. They are subjected to killing, torture, forced displacement, and starvation, used as a weapon of war,” Prime Minister Mustafa stated.
“In the West Bank, including Jerusalem, Israel, the unlawful occupying power, continues its systematic and widespread crimes. These include colonial settlement expansion, settler terrorism, attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, and attempts to alter the status, character, and historical and legal reality of Jerusalem, among other crimes against our people.”
The Prime Minister emphasized that confronting Israel's colonial policies requires unified international efforts to implement United Nations resolutions, particularly Security Council resolutions aimed at securing a ceasefire. He stressed the need to halt the aggression against the Palestinian people and the Lebanese, while preventing further expansion of Israeli attacks.
Additionally, he underlined the urgency of delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinian people to avert famine, prevent forced displacement, and ensure protection for the Palestinian population.
Mustafa stressed the need to confront Israel's annexation intentions, recently declared by a member of the Israeli government, describing these actions and crimes as threats to international peace and security. He called for effective international intervention to stop these crimes and actions, restore hope for the Palestinian people, and launch a serious political process with a clear timeline to end the Israeli occupation and realize the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights.
He expressed profound gratitude to Spain for its courageous stance on these issues, acknowledging its historical role in fostering prospects for peace since the Madrid Conference.
Mustafa commended Spain's proactive positions within the European Union, its contributions to establishing the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, and its advocacy for enforcing UN resolutions, including the precautionary measures and legal advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and holding it accountable, as well as for ending arms exports to Israel, accountability measures for its violations of international law, and achieving justice for the Palestinian people.
For his part, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized that the convening of the Joint Ministerial Committee reflects Spain's steadfast commitment to Palestine and its dedication to enhancing cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations and their peoples.
Sánchez affirmed Spain’s support for the Palestinian Government, its developmental plans, and its reform program. He also reiterated Spain's continued relief and humanitarian assistance to Gaza and its efforts at all levels to press for a ceasefire and ensure the delivery of aid to the Strip.
The Spanish Prime Minister also reaffirmed his country's unwavering position on international and humanitarian law, highlighting Spain's efforts in establishing the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, ending the occupation, and achieving the rights of the Palestinian people to freedom, independence, and the realization of Palestinian statehood.
The governments of Palestine and Spain signed several memoranda of understanding in the presence of the Prime Ministers of both countries, Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, and Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain.
These MoUs encompass cooperation in four significant areas: Labor and Social Economy, Youth and Childhood, Education and Vocational Training, and Agriculture.
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