Without a doubt, we are facing the most important escalation of tension between Spain and Israel since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations that took place on January 17th, 1986. Spain has also opened up an unprecedented crisis with Argentina, the result of the verbal intensity between the two governments, in which it was the Spanish transport minister Óscar Puente who entered first, with the Argentine president himself, Javier Milei, responding with direct attacks on Begoña Gómez, the wife of Pedro Sánchez, whom he referred to as corrupt. As a result of this confrontation, Spain decided to withdraw its ambassador from Argentina amidst enormous concern from Spanish companies operating in that country. The Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, stated, in justifying the decision, that he was doing so because it was an unprecedented event in the history of international relations. In another similar scenario, that of North Africa, there has been a progressive distancing between Spain and Algeria that began two years ago, with the publications of the content of a letter in which Madrid gave its support to the Moroccan proposal on Western Sahara. Trade remains blocked and the future of relations with a major gas supplying country does not look good.
These are three examples, and there could be more, of how international relations have been managed for a while now, a portfolio which, above all, requires diplomacy, tact, prudence and a lot of dialogue. Each of the cases has its specific analysis and has to be studied carefully, since things are not necessarily black or white, but rather, there is a broad range of colours in the middle. In my opinion, however, the most worrying aspect is how great stress is applied to everything quite recklessly and without considering the consequences. In the case of Israel, for example, prime minister Sánchez, in the middle of a political escalation that may end up leading to a problem for Spanish security, has decided to recognize the State of Palestine this Tuesday when his cabinet holds its regular meeting. There has always been a consensus that this should be the ultimate goal to resolve the conflict, but the question is whether or not it helps to solve the problem now and what harm could come from such a decision. Also, whether this is being done for purely electoral reasons by Sánchez to draw voters into supporting the Socialists (PSOE) at the European elections on June 9th, when, under other conditions, they would opt for Sumar or Podemos.
The question is whether or not recognizing Palestine right now helps to resolve the conflict and whether Sánchez is doing so for purely electoral reasons
The Spanish government argues that Norway and Ireland are also taking the step on the same day and that it is intended to give an impulse that stirs consciences in Europe to make May 28th into an historic day on the pathway to peaceful and secure coexistence in the Middle East. But Spain has specific conditions that have no relation to those of Norway or Ireland, as is well known. The important thing is that other states such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the United States are not in this position. These countries and many other major ones say they will recognize a Palestinian state only as part of a long-term political solution to the conflict through what is known as a "two-state solution" in which both Israelis and Palestinians agree to have their own states with their own borders. Could Spain not have waited and aligned itself with the countries that are its peers? Can this decision be adopted when there is such fierce division in the Congress of Deputies?
The current Spanish government has tended to treat international politics as if it were dealing with domestic politics: escalating tension and creating an almost irreconcilable separation from its political adversaries. It's certainly not the only one to behave like this. The People's Party (PP) does not hold back and, on many issues, acts with great irresponsibility, appropriating substantial aspects of the rule of law that do not belong to it. As an example, we have its blockage of the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary, whose membership has now been expired for the exorbitant figure of 2,000 days. Something unprecedented in a democratic state, and a conflict in which the justice commissioner of the European Commission has had to intervene. But international politics leaves consequences that last for decades and it is a mistake to practice it with arrogance and to degrade relationships.