The Spanish Prime Minister called for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to what he called "the blind killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday called on Israel to put an end to the "blind killing of Palestinians" in the Gaza Strip, in the strongest criticism of Israel by a European country since its aggression against Gaza.
During his speech before Parliament at his inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister called for "an immediate ceasefire by Israel in Gaza and adherence to international humanitarian law, which is clearly not being respected now."
He stressed that "there is no doubt, we stand with Israel in its rejection and response to the terrorist attack it was subjected to in October... and we demand the immediate release of the hostages" held by Hamas.
Sanchez added, "But with the same clarity, we reject the blind killing of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank," pledging that his new government would work "in Europe and Spain to recognize the Palestinian state."
The Spanish government's Minister of Social Affairs, Ione Pellara, previously described the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip as a "war crime and programmed genocide."
On Tuesday-Wednesday night, the European Union renewed its call to declare an “immediate” humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by the EU’s foreign and security policy official, Josep Borrell.
A new blow to Sunak The highest British court rejects the plan to deport refugees to Rwanda
The Supreme Court rejected the government plan to deport refugees to Rwanda, presented by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, after the European Court of Human Rights rejected the same plan.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court in Britain upheld a judicial ruling that the controversial government plan to deport migrants to Rwanda was illegal, in a new blow to the policies of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
A five-judge panel of the UK's highest court unanimously upheld the Court of Appeal judges' decision that the policy was inconsistent with Britain's international treaty obligations.
“We conclude that the Court of Appeal was competent to find substantial grounds for believing that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda would expose them to a real risk of ill-treatment,” the judges said.
They agreed with a lower court ruling in June that Rwanda posed a risk of forcibly returning asylum seekers and refugees to a country where they could suffer persecution.
Sunak's Conservative Party stressed that the plan was necessary to reduce "illegal" migration across the Channel on small boats, an issue that is expected to feature prominently in the next general election.
But the ruling cancels the agreement signed with Rwanda in April last year to send unregistered migrants to temporary centers in the African country, dealing a blow to the Prime Minister’s immigration agenda.
It will also deepen divisions in the ranks of the conservative party between right-wing MPs advocating tough measures and moderates.
While he acknowledged that it was “not the outcome we would have liked”, Sunak said the government was “essentially working on a new treaty with Rwanda, which we will finalize in light of today’s ruling”.
"If it becomes clear that our internal legal frameworks or international agreements still thwart plans at this stage, I am ready to change our laws and reconsider these international relations," he told Parliament.
Combating illegal immigration
The Partnership for Migration and Economic Development stipulates that anyone undertaking what the government describes as “dangerous or illegal journeys, for example on small boats or lorries” towards the UK should be sent to Rwanda.
The first batch of people ordered to be deported were on a plane to Rwanda in June 2022 when an injunction issued by the European Court of Human Rights blocked any deportations, opening the door to legal challenges.
Opponents criticize Rwanda's plan as brutal, expensive and difficult to implement.
The Rwandan government stated that it "opposes the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe third country."
London stresses that the policy is necessary to deter migrants from crossing the Channel from France in small, makeshift boats.
More than 27,000 people made the trip this year, compared to about 46,000 in 2022, but the numbers are still a long way from Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats.”
His government argues that regular and irregular migration must decline to ease pressure on government-funded services, such as health care and accommodation for asylum seekers.
The number of backlogged asylum applications in Britain reached 122,585, 12 percent less than the record number recorded in February. Meanwhile, net migration (the difference between the number of people leaving the UK and those arriving) hit a record 606,000 last year.
Both statistics are uncomfortable for conservatives who have pledged to reduce immigration after Brexit.
Sunak's government passed legislation in July that bans any "illegal" arrivals from applying for asylum, but relies on them finding third countries to send them to.
There is speculation that it will now try to conclude agreements with other countries.
Recently appointed Home Secretary James Cleverly said after the ruling, “There is great interest in this principle,” noting that other European countries are “following our example.”
"Victory for rights"
The main opposition Labor Party, which is leading in opinion polls, accused Sunak of failing to "develop any serious plan to deal with dangerous boat crossings."
“Labour stressed from the beginning that this plan was unworkable and expensive,” MP Yvette Cooper said, adding that the government “failed to ensure a strong and workable policy.”
Immigration lawyers welcomed the court's decision on Wednesday.
The Refugee Council said it was "a victory for the rights of men, women and children who are simply seeking safety."
Downing Street announced that Sunak spoke with Rwandan President Paul Kagame after the ruling. A transcript of the conversation released by Sunak's office said: "The two leaders affirmed their firm commitment to making our migration partnership a success and agreed to take the necessary steps to ensure this is a strong and legal policy, and to stop the boats as soon as possible."
The decision is expected to renew demands from right-wingers such as former Home Secretary Suella Braverman that Britain withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights, an idea that Sunak has refused to support until now.
Braverman launched a scathing attack on Sunak on Tuesday, a day after her dismissal, accusing him of “treason” in the immigration file and saying that he “has no desire to do what is necessary.”
In turn, Conservative Party Deputy Leader Lee Anderson believed that ministers should “ignore the laws” and deport migrants upon their arrival.
He described the court's decision as a "bleak day for the British people" and stressed that the government should "operate the planes and send them (the migrants) to Rwanda."
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing increasing criticism of his government policy in a number of files, the most recent of which was its position on the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which prompted him to dismiss Interior Minister Suella Braverman after she attacked pro-Palestine marches, which led to escalating criticism of her and her government, which took a position in support of the aggression. Israeli attack on Gaza.
Erdogan: Israel is a state of terrorism, and everyone who supports it and remains silent about its massacres is its partner
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed that Turkey will continue to isolate Israel internationally and provide all forms of support to Palestine, indicating that Israel’s continuation of its massacres will register it as a terrorist state, and that all those who support it militarily and intelligence are partners in these massacres.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Israel's continued massacres against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank will mark them as a terrorist state in the eyes of everyone, noting that Hamas is a resistance movement seeking to protect its homeland and the lives of the Palestinians.
This came in a speech during a meeting of the Justice and Development Party bloc in the Turkish Parliament in the capital, Ankara, on Wednesday.
Erdogan said: "If Israel continues its massacres in this way, it will register itself as a cursed terrorist state everywhere around the world in the eyes of everyone."
He added, "Israel is implementing a strategy of complete destruction of the city and its residents, and I say it frankly and with a calm heart: Israel is a state of terrorism."
He added: "In a dual plan, we will continue to isolate Israel in the international arena while providing all forms of humanitarian support to Palestine."
The Turkish President referred to working to prosecute Israel in international courts for the massacres it is committing in Palestine, stressing that "Turkey will take steps on the international scene to stop them."
In this context, he said: “We will seek international recognition of the settlers who confiscate Palestinian lands as terrorists.”
He added: "We will continue to take steps to ensure that Israeli political and military leaders are tried before international courts after they brutally killed the oppressed people of Gaza."
The international community is silent
Erdogan pointed out that the international community stands silent in the face of the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, and that "the West, led by the United States of America, supports Israel, which has been committing massacres in Gaza for more than 40 days."
He pointed out that France retracted its statements (regarding the war on Gaza), “and it must be honest and not change its positions.”
The Turkish President stressed that he would hold "phone calls with the leaders of the countries that abstained from voting on the recent UN General Assembly resolution on Gaza, for which 121 countries voted."
He said that all parties that are silent about what is happening and all those who support Israel militarily and intelligence are partners in these massacres.
He stressed that they (the Turkish government) "will never hesitate, because of someone's annoyance, to declare that members of the Hamas movement are resistance fighters seeking to protect their homeland and their lives," noting that it is a political party that won the elections in Gaza.
“We will provide all forms of humanitarian support.”
Regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza, Erdogan stressed that his country will make every effort to continue delivering humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip, and treatment of Palestinian children and cancer patients will continue in Turkey.
Erdogan pointed out that "about 12,000 people were martyred as a result of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, most of them children and women, and mosques, hospitals and schools were directly targeted."
He said, "We must stand by the oppressed and not look for justifications for the oppressor, and we will continue to demand work on a ceasefire in Gaza."
He pointed out that "Israel is implementing a strategy of complete destruction of Gaza City and its residents."
Erdogan directed his words to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: “You possess an atomic bomb, a nuclear bomb, and you are threatening with it. Have whatever you want, and you will leave.”