The first Palestinian ambassador to Spain presented his credentials on Monday to Spanish King Felipe VI after Madrid in May formally recognized a Palestinian state.
The head of state welcomed Housni Abdel Wahed to the royal palace in Madrid for the traditional ceremony for newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Spain, according to images published by the royal palace on social network X.
Wahed had been the head of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Madrid since 2022, and he enjoyed a similar status to that of an ambassador, but he officially changed rank after Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, formally recognized a Palestinian state comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The three countries said at the time they hoped their decision would spur other European countries to follow suit and accelerate efforts towards securing a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Israel has condemned the decision, saying it bolsters Hamas, the militant Islamist group that led the October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of the staunchest critics in Europe of Israel’s Gaza offensive, announced earlier this month that a bilateral summit between Spain and Palestine would be held before the end of the year.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is set to travel to Madrid on Tuesday, an official in his office said.
Abbas is due to meet King Felipe and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government formally recognised a Palestinian state in May, before heading to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, the official told AFP.
With AFP
