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EU Members Spain and Ireland are set to recognize a Palestinian state, causing tensions with Israel. The move comes after the International Criminal Court sought an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders. The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed support for the ICC, while Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Spain of "rewarding terror" and referred to the infamous Spanish Inquisition. Spain, Ireland, and Norway plan to make official their recognition of a Palestinian state, with Slovenia's Prime Minister also considering recognition. The EU and its member nations have been critical of both the Hamas-led attack in Israel and Israel's subsequent offensive. The recent Israeli airstrikes in Rafah have killed dozens, prompting calls for the EU to take measures against Israel. Israeli authorities summoned the ambassadors of Spain, Ireland, and Norway to the Foreign Ministry in Tel Aviv, showing them videos of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and abductions. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares criticized the treatment of the European ambassadors in Israel and emphasized the goal of recognizing the state of Palestine and achieving a permanent cease-fire.
