ISTANBUL: Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Tuesday called on the EU to take concrete action against Israel over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, describing the situation as “unsustainable, unbearable,“ and “inhuman”, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Albares said the bloc must use “all instruments at its disposal” to exert maximum diplomatic pressure on Israel, Spanish daily El País reported.
“The EU must do everything possible to bring this war to an immediate end and ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid,“ he said.
“The time for statements is over. We have had too many months of appeals. The time has come for action. We cannot tolerate what is happening for even one minute more,“ Albares said.
The Foreign Minister said that he had sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas renewing Spain’s call for a formal review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a demand first made by Madrid and Dublin over a year ago.
The latest request is now supported by Ireland, Slovenia, and Luxembourg.
The Netherlands has also formally called for an examination of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the agreement, which states that relations between the parties must be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
