Spanish PM meets with Abbas, calls for restraint in Mideast

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calls for restraint following the wave of explosives attacks in the Middle East, after he received Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Madrid.

“Today the risk of escalation has again dangerously increased. President Abbas and I have been talking about it in Lebanon, so we have to make a new and strong call for restraint, for de-escalation, for peaceful coexistence between countries. In short, to peace,” says Sánchez after a 45-minute meeting with Abbas.

This was the first meeting between the leaders since Spain recognized Palestine as a state on May 28 in a coordinated action with Ireland and Norway. Sanchez mentioned the strong importance that his government gave to the advisory opinion given by the International Court of Justice, which said Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem was illegal.

Abbas, for his part, called for a Middle East Peace Conference to be held in Madrid, like one that took place 33 years ago in the Spanish capital.