Phoenix 24
A voice shaking diplomatic corridors amid global indifference.
Madrid, September 2025
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez issued an urgent call to the world from New York: what is happening in Gaza cannot be treated as just another stream of bad news, but as a moral cataclysm demanding immediate action. Speaking at the World Leaders Forum at Columbia University, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, he accused the international community of applying a double standard to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Strip.
With a firm tone, Sánchez stressed the distinction between legitimate self-defense and what he described as unacceptable actions against civilians. “One thing is to defend your country, another is to starve children or bomb hospitals,” he declared, pointing directly at the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. While reaffirming Spain’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist and defend its security, Sánchez warned that there is no justification for imposed starvation, mass displacement, or indiscriminate attacks.
In words that echoed far beyond the auditorium, Sánchez stated: “We are witnessing one of the darkest and most terrible events of the 21st century.” He described the situation in Gaza as genocide, insisting that it would be unforgivable for the international community to continue looking the other way.
The Spanish leader also condemned the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, carried out by Hamas, while demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli hostages. For Sánchez, acknowledging the suffering of Israeli victims should not be incompatible with demanding justice for the Palestinian population subjected to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
His agenda in New York included bilateral meetings with Ukrainian leaders and representatives of U.S. financial institutions, where he emphasized that the disaster in Gaza is not only a humanitarian tragedy but also an economic and political challenge with global implications. He underlined that stability in the Middle East is crucial for energy security, migration management, and the integrity of international markets.
Spain’s stance marks a potential turning point in diplomacy. From Brussels to Latin America, governments are closely watching a discourse that could force a redefinition of positions on Israel and Palestine. While Paris consolidates its own shift toward recognizing the State of Palestine, Berlin remains strategically cautious. Washington, meanwhile, weighs how far it can sustain its traditional support for Israel without eroding its international credibility. At the same time, Ankara and Arab capitals are working to coordinate joint initiatives that increase diplomatic pressure.
Sánchez insisted that words are not enough. He called for mobilizing humanitarian aid with transparent mechanisms, strengthening independent inspection systems, and applying targeted sanctions in cases where fundamental rights are violated. “If we fail to act now,” he warned, “history will remember this tragedy not only for its pain but for the impunity with which it was witnessed.”
Spain’s message arrives at a moment when critical voices toward Israel are multiplying across the West, pushing European allies to reconsider their policies. By raising the tone of his denunciation, Sánchez seeks not only to mark a moral position but also to assert regional leadership in defending human rights within a convulsed international landscape.
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