Iraq seeks strategic partnership with Spain, praises Madrid's support for Palestine

ISTANBUL

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani expressed his country’s desire to establish a strategic partnership with Spain while praising Madrid’s support for Palestine amid Israel’s war on Gaza.

In a phone call Tuesday with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, Al-Sudani lauded Spain's significant step in recognizing the State of Palestine, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's media office.

On Tuesday, Spain along with Norway and Ireland officially recognized Palestine, bringing the total number of countries doing so to 146 out of 193 UN member states.

The statement highlighted Al-Sudani's appreciation for the Spanish government's support for the Palestinian cause and its condemnation of Israel’s aggression against innocent civilians in Gaza.

Al-Sudani emphasized that “such positions have a significant impact in deterring aggression and preventing the genocide against Palestinians.”

Regarding bilateral relations, he expressed Iraq's “desire to build a strategic partnership with Spain to contribute to Iraq's ongoing development.”

Sanchez reiterated his invitation to Al-Sudani to visit Spain for further discussions on bilateral issues aimed at boosting relations between the two countries, according to the statement.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

Nearly 36,100 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 81,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in its latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio