President Mahmoud Abbas heads to Spain after historic Palestine recognition

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid on Thursday, marking his first visit to Spain since the country recognised Palestine as a sovereign state in May.

Abbas’s stop in Madrid comes at Spain’s invitation, en route to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting with Sanchez is confirmed, although details of Abbas’s itinerary remain unclear. Abbas is also expected to meet with Spain’s King Felipe VI, though the royal palace has yet to confirm this engagement.

This visit follows Spain, Ireland, and Norway’s formal recognition of a Palestinian state on May 28, comprising the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Israel condemned the decision, arguing it empowers Hamas, the group that led the October 7 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza conflict.

In response to Israel’s criticism, Prime Minister Sanchez noted that recognising Palestine is “not against anyone, least of all Israel.” Despite this, tensions between Spain and Israel have escalated, with Sanchez emerging as a vocal critic of Israel’s Gaza offensive.

The health ministry in Gaza announced on Tuesday that at least 41,252 people have been murdered in the war between Israel and Palestinian fighters, Hamas.

The toll includes 26 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry.