Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP, has tried to settle the debate within the party regarding the recognition of the Palestinian State. However, José María Aznar and Isabel Díaz Ayuso have made it difficult for him. Feijóo outlined the party’s position last Wednesday in Congress, supporting the two-state solution but warning Pedro Sánchez that the party does not support his initiative to have Palestine recognized by the international community unless it comes from a negotiation process and has the support of influential countries. Ayuso, the President of the Madrid Community, has once again expressed a view more aligned with Aznar’s. She criticized Sánchez for proposing recognition of Palestine following recent events in Israel and Gaza.
Ayuso’s argument is that while she does not object to Palestinians having a state, she believes it is not the right time for it to happen now, especially in the aftermath of the recent violence involving Hamas and Israel. She questions Sánchez’s decision to lead the issue of Palestinian statehood at this moment. Ayuso’s stance on not recognizing Palestine as a state currently is in line with Aznar’s political views, contrasting with Feijóo’s approach, which focuses more on criticizing the way Sánchez is handling the matter. Aznar, a former Prime Minister, is known for his firm rejection of the two-state solution and has questioned the feasibility of a Palestinian State at present.
The Secretary General of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, responded to Ayuso’s statements by reiterating the party’s official stance of supporting the two-state solution. She emphasized that Spain cannot act unilaterally on this matter. Gamarra refrained from directly opposing Ayuso, instead providing a different interpretation of her remarks to downplay any disagreements within the party. The focus was shifted towards Ayuso’s concerns about not empowering terrorist groups like Hamas through the recognition of Palestine as a state.
Following days of uncertainty and conflicting opinions within the PP regarding the recognition of the Palestinian State proposed by Pedro Sánchez, Feijóo clarified the party’s position during a debate on Wednesday. He stated that the PP supports the two-state solution and that their stance from 2014 in favor of recognizing Palestine still stands, with reservations about the timing and approach of Sánchez’s initiative. Feijóo’s attempt to clarify the party’s stance was disrupted on Friday by Ayuso’s renewed doubts about recognizing Palestine.
The internal debate within the PP reflects differing opinions on the recognition of the Palestinian State and the approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Feijóo, Aznar, and Ayuso represent different perspectives within the party, with varying levels of support for the two-state solution and reservations about the current timing of recognizing Palestine. The ongoing discussion highlights the complexity of foreign policy matters and the challenge of balancing international relations with domestic political considerations. Despite efforts to unify the party’s position, disagreements persist, underscoring the need for further debate and clarification on this issue.
