Israel ‘trampling on’ int’l law in Gaza, Spain PM says

International law is currently “being absolutely trampled on and violated once again in Gaza,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned today.

“It is very important that all member states and also the European Union, we stick to the principles of the international rules and also the humanitarian international rules,” Sanchez told reporters ahead of a European Council meeting in Brussels. “This means that we need to condemn with our strongest voice, what is happening nowadays in Gaza.”

He noted that it is also important to discuss the importance of the Arab countries, reconstruction of Gaza and how the bloc moves forward towards a two-state solution.

“This is the Spanish position since the beginning of this war and of course, we will work with our Arab colleagues to move forward and to materialise … a very fair goal for the Palestinians, which means to have its own state,” he concluded.

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For his part, the Irish taoiseach (prime minister) said the “shocking” Israeli bombing of Gaza seen over the last 48 hours needs to stop, urging Europe to say “stop to the killing and to the slaughter.”

Micheal Martin said the bombing that has occurred over the last 48 hours led to the deaths of so many innocents, while recent statements from Israeli leaders seem to point to “collective punishment of the Palestinians within Gaza.”

“It is quite shocking. It needs to stop. Europe needs to say stop to the killing and to the slaughter that’s going on in Gaza at the moment,” he told reporters ahead of a European Council meeting in Brussels.

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels today and tomorrow to discuss competitiveness and to follow up on a special 6 March European Council held to address recent developments in Ukraine and the next steps on defence.

Martin also stressed that there is a need to move “very quickly” to phase two of the ceasefire, which was originally agreed and which should be complied with.

“Many people had come back after the [19 January] ceasefire to their homes in the expectation that they were going to experience some degree of peace and harmony, and that has been shattered by what appears to be very indiscriminate bombing,” he stressed.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 others injured in renewed Israeli air strikes in Gaza since Tuesday, shattering the ceasefire agreement that took hold in January.

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