European response to war in Gaza has been a 'failure', says Spanish PM
The European response to the conflict in Gaza has been a “failure” that threatens to undermine Europe's global credibility, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said in an interview with The Guardian.
Ahead of his meeting with British prime minister Keir Starmer in London, Sánchez described the conflict as "perhaps one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century". The socialist prime minister was the first European leader to accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza.
According to Sánchez, there are indeed divisions within the EU regarding how to exert influence on Israel. "But in my opinion, it's not acceptable and we can't last longer if we want to increase our credibility when it comes to other crises, such as the one we face in Ukraine," he said.
Dismantling international order
He also claimed that the US under Donald Trump was dismantling the international order that emerged after World War II. The American withdrawal from important institutions such as the World Health Organization provides an opportunity for Europe to demonstrate stronger global leadership.
“The most shocking reality that we’re facing is that the principal architect of the international order – which is the US after the Second World War – is now weakening this international order, and that’s something that’s not going to be positive for US society or for the rest of the world, especially western countries,” he said.
“That is why I think there’s an opportunity for the European Union and also for the UK.”
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez © PHOTO PICTURE ALLIANCE (DPA)
Related news
