Thank you, Spain and Pedro Sánchez

Author: Rami Mahdawi

At a time marked by shameful international silence and a blatant tilt of power over principles, Spain today stands out as an exceptional voice siding with Palestinian rights, restoring some of the lost sheen to the human conscience. The decision by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to recognize the State of Palestine was not a mere political gesture but a clear declaration that justice cannot remain hostage to narrow calculations or to Israeli and Western coercion.

Sánchez’s recent stance embodied a long-absent European spirit when he dared to call things by their name, describing what the Gaza Strip is experiencing as “genocide,” and exposing Western complicity in double standards. He emphasized that what is unacceptable from Russia cannot be tolerated from Israel. This clear language, rare in the corridors of European politics, represents a victory for the human values the Israeli occupation seeks to crush day by day in Gaza and the West Bank.

There is no doubt that the Spanish people, before their leadership, have been at the forefront among European publics in solidarity with Palestine — through mass demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona and through positions taken by academic, cultural and intellectual elites that have made Palestine a global moral symbol. This popular supportive current enabled Sánchez to take historic steps: recognizing the State of Palestine, calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel partnership agreement, and imposing sanctions on ministers of extremism and racism in Netanyahu’s government.

Sánchez’s courage lies not only in defying Israeli and U.S. pressures but in bearing the political cost of the internal division the Palestinian issue has sparked within the Spanish left. While some content themselves with slogans, he chose to place his name on the record of concrete political action, asserting that defending Palestine is not a tactical option but a moral commitment that transcends electoral considerations. His willingness to face both domestic and international criticism reminds us that leadership is forged when principle meets decision, and when the voice of conscience prevails over vested interests.

Spain has shown that solidarity with Palestine is not merely a “foreign issue” but a test of moral consistency for any progressive or humanitarian discourse. Accordingly, Spain’s recent positions constitute a cornerstone in reshaping a new European consciousness willing to look in the mirror and ask: how can a continent that claims to be the cradle of democracy remain silent in the face of children being killed, civilians starved and hospitals bombed?

This places a major responsibility on other European states. Spain has done no more than what human conscience and international law require, and Paris, Berlin, Rome and capitals across Europe should follow Madrid’s lead. Europe’s silence is no longer appropriate; if it claims to defend justice and freedom, the true test lies in its stance on Palestine, where slogans are stripped away and principles are tested.

Conversely, Palestinian diplomacy should capitalize on this Spanish position, intensify expressions of thanks and support by building closer alliances with Madrid, and channel this momentum into international fora. Spanish backing should not remain isolated but should be converted into a political lever to pressure the rest of Europe to join the path of justice. Public gratitude and a serious appreciation of this stance will send a message to the world that Palestine does not forget those who stand with it and that it can turn solidarity into strategic leverage.

Our gratitude to Spain today, to its leadership and its people, is not merely a diplomatic formality but an expression of sincere thanks to a country that chose to side with justice and raise the banner of international law in a time of impunity. Madrid’s position gives Palestinians not only political and moral support but opens a crack in the wall of European silence and offers other peoples an example that the voice of truth can be raised even in the face of the powerful.

Spain may not possess “nuclear bombs or aircraft carriers or oil reserves,” as Sánchez put it with striking realism, but it possesses what is nobler: the will to resist submission, the courage to stand with the oppressed, and a firm belief that the struggle for Palestine is a struggle for the humanity of the entire world.

We believe these positions, however limited their immediate effect may seem, will leave deep marks on global consciousness and will be recorded in history: that Spain, in a time of killing and siege, chose to stand on the side of right. The people of Palestine, with all their pain and steadfastness, salute the Spanish people.

We extend our deep thanks to Pedro Sánchez and to every Spanish citizen who stood, supported and spoke up in the name of Palestine. History does not forget such stands, and the memory of peoples always preserves the names of those who cried out against injustice and declared boldly: “Justice is indivisible, and Palestine is not an exception.”