In a joint statement, Spain, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and Slovenia unequivocally reject “any demographic or territorial changes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” warning that actions toward such aims “constitute a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”
The operation announced by Benjamin Netanyahu, which includes the seizure of Gaza City, will only result, they warn, in “an unacceptably high number of casualties and the forced displacement of nearly one million Palestinian civilians.”
The signatory countries further caution that intensifying the Israeli military offensive and occupying Gaza City represents “a significant obstacle to the implementation of the two-state solution,” which they see as the only path to comprehensive, just, and lasting peace that will ensure regional stability.
They emphasize that the Gaza Strip must be an integral part of the State of Palestine, along with the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as stated in the communiqué signed by the Foreign Ministers of these eight countries.
They also demand an immediate cease-fire agreement, an end to hostilities, the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, and “the swift, unobstructed, and large-scale entry of humanitarian aid.”
Moreover, they insist that Hamas “cannot play any role in future government or security arrangements in Gaza, and must be disarmed.”
