Izquierda Unida (IU) today welcomed the Spanish government’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine, although it considered that for the moment it is only a gesture.

Through its main candidate for the European elections, Manu Pineda, the party that forms part of the Sumar group, an ally of the Spanish government, pointed out that it is «a step in the right direction, a step that the IU has been asking for for many years».

Pineda considered that «if anyone has any doubts that this recognition is going in the right direction, you only have to look at the reaction of Israel and its sponsors in the United States, who are clamouring against it, and even Washington is vetoing a decision like this in the United Nations».

However, he stressed that «we cannot be complacent, we cannot think that this puts us on the right side of history. It is a gesture, but we have to keep fighting to be on the right side.

He added that among other concrete measures, «this is achieved by immediately suspending all arms purchase and sale agreements with Israel».

The IU MEP insisted that «Israel is carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and we cannot sell them arms so that they can continue with it, nor buy arms from them that are proven in combat there».

The day before, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the recognition of a state of Palestine, which will take effect on 28 May at a Council of Ministers meeting.

During a special address to the Congress of Deputies, he stressed that the initiative is not against the people of Israel, but is necessary to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.

He also indicated that Spain will soon receive some thirty Gazan children suffering from cancer, so that they can receive appropriate treatment.

«The Palestinian people and peace in the Middle East have been waiting for too many years. Today the coalition government recognises the Palestinian state as a full member of international society», said the second vice-president and leader of the Sumar group, Yolanda Díaz.

Although the news seemed imminent, Sánchez’s announcement brought a round of applause in the Chamber. However, parliamentarians from right-wing opposition parties (PP) and the far-right, especially, remained seated.

A curious fact in the case of the PP, which in 2014 was part of the initiative to recognise a Palestinian state with an overwhelming majority of votes in the lower house, including the entire left-wing spectrum led by the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party.

Ireland and Norway also announced that they will recognise the Palestinian state, with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris hailing «an historic and important day» for his country and Palestine.

Earlier, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares remarked that the government is working for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in favour of peace in the Middle East.

Albares also stressed that the Iberian country advocates the release of all hostages, the arrival of humanitarian aid and a definitive peace through a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.