The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, and his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, met in Washington on Friday to discuss their differences regarding the recognition of the Palestinian state. Albares announced that the Spanish government intends to recognize the State of Palestine in the coming days, while Blinken reiterated that recognition should occur “at the end of the process” as a result of a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. However, Blinken also stated that it is a sovereign decision of each country and showed respect for Spain’s decision.
During a press conference, Albares emphasized that his visit to Washington was not to “ask for permission” from the US administration, as criticized by some, nor to inform them in advance of the decision the Spanish government will make. He explained that the discussion with Blinken about the Middle East conflict included Spain’s position, which includes a permanent ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian aid access to Gaza, unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas, and immediate recognition of the Palestinian state. Albares did not confirm if Spain and other European countries like Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia will formalize diplomatic recognition on May 21, but stressed that the important thing is the political decision, which has already been made.
Despite efforts to downplay the differences between Washington and Madrid on the Gaza conflict, they were evident during the General Assembly vote on Palestine’s membership in the UN, where Spain (along with 142 other countries) voted in favor and co-sponsored the resolution, while the US voted against it. The Arab-Israeli conflict was the only point of contention in a meeting that was described as being conducted in a “friendly atmosphere” and lasted for an hour and 25 minutes, preceded by a short private conversation between the two ministers.
The two delegations, meeting at the US State Department, agreed to push for more effective mechanisms to support Ukraine at the upcoming NATO summit in Washington in July, marking the 75th anniversary of the Alliance’s founding. They also discussed the situation in the Sahel or Central America and the defense of LGBTQ+ rights. Blinken and Albares signed a subscription agreement before the meeting to continue reading without limits.
The meeting between Albares and Blinken highlights differences in the stances of Spain and the US on the recognition of the Palestinian state, with Spain moving towards immediate recognition while the US prefers to wait for a peace agreement. Despite this disagreement, the meeting was characterized by cordiality and covered a range of issues including the Middle East conflict, Ukraine, the Sahel, Central America, and LGBTQ+ rights. The two countries will continue to work together within NATO and on other international issues, despite their differences on this particular issue.
