00:00This war, which is an immense and tragic error, is not only claiming the lives of thousands of human beings,
00:06it is also causing millions of people to be displaced throughout the entire Middle East region
00:11and billions, with a B, billions of euros in economic losses,
00:16severely impacting the finances and the everyday lives of the most ordinary people in our country.
00:22Therefore, I am asking those who started this war to stop this war and to put a stop to Netanyahu.
00:30To stop this war and to put a stop to...
00:43Furthermore, and I'm going to tell you something else.
00:45And I'm going to tell you something else.
00:47I'm going to tell you something else.
00:51My friends, fellow members.
00:54And I want to add something else.
00:56This coming Tuesday, the government of Spain will formally present to Europe the proposal
01:01that the European Union should terminate its association agreement with Israel.
01:08And we're going to do it.
01:14And we're doing this not because we have nothing.
01:18On the contrary, we are a friendly nation to Israel.
01:22But no, we do not agree with the actions your government is taking.
01:29And any government that violates international law and therefore infringes upon the very principles and values of the European Union
01:36simply cannot be a partner of the European Union.
01:39It is as simple as that, as straightforward as that.
01:41And for this reason, I am requesting the full support of all the member countries of the European Union
01:46for this Spanish proposal.
02:04A major diplomatic flashpoint is unfolding in Europe as Spain calls on the European Union
02:09to cut ties with Israel, citing serious violations of international law.
02:14The announcement came from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who said Spain will formally
02:20urge the EU, within 48 hours, to terminate its association agreement with Israel.
02:26This is one of the strongest moves yet by a European leader against Israel in recent weeks.
02:32Speaking at a rally in Andalusia, Sánchez made his position clear.
02:37He said Israel violates international law and therefore cannot remain a partner of the
02:42European Union.
02:42The EU-Israel Association Agreement, signed in 2000, is a key framework governing political
02:49and economic relations.
02:51It includes a human rights clause requiring both sides to uphold democratic principles
02:57and fundamental rights.
02:58Now, a review of that agreement has reportedly found clear indications that Israel is not
03:05complying with those obligations.
03:06Spain is not acting alone.
03:09Just days earlier, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia sent a joint letter to the European Commission
03:15requesting that the issue be discussed at the next meeting of EU foreign ministers.
03:20And support for this move appears to be growing.
03:24Countries including Belgium, France, Sweden, Portugal and Finland have previously backed similar
03:30calls to review or suspend the agreement.
03:33The stakes are high.
03:35The European Union is Israel's largest trading partner, with annual trade exceeding 45 billion
03:41euros.
03:42Any decision to suspend or terminate the agreement could have major economic and political consequences.
03:49This latest move also follows a series of strong statements by Sanchez.
03:55He has recently condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon, and has openly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
04:03Spain had earlier recognized the state of Palestine, a move that further strained relations with Israel.
04:10At a recent forum in Barcelona, Sanchez said Israel was trampling on multiple provisions of the agreement, and signaled readiness
04:18to act alongside other European nations.
04:21He also called on those who started the conflict to end it, and urged global leaders to rein in escalation.
04:27The coming days will be crucial as the European Union decides whether to take up Spain's proposal.
04:33If it does, it could mark a significant shift in EU-Israel relations, and reshape the geopolitical
04:40landscape in the region.
04:57This is an update.
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