Spain to intervene in the International Court of Justice proceedings initiated by South Africa over the situation in Gaza. We have been considering this step for several weeks, a step that other countries have already taken and others have announced that they will take.
We are taking decision in light of the continued military operations in Gaza, as seen in recent days. We also note with great concern the regional spread of the conflict.
Our objective with this decision is twofold. First, let peace return to Gaza and the Middle East. To this end, it is urgent that we all support the court, as Spain is doing today, so that the provisional measures -which I would remind you are mandatory- are respected, and which the International Court of Justice has ordered with the aim of halting the military operation.
We do so also out of commitment to international law in our desire to support the court in its work, and to strengthen the United Nations by supporting the court's role as the system’s highest judicial body.
Therefore, we are submitting a declaration of intervention in the procedure. We seek to support the court in the implementation of the provisional measures, especially the termination of military operations in Rafah to bring back peace, obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
We call once again for an end to the bombing, a ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages and urgent and unrestricted humanitarian access to the civilian population.
We reiterate our support for peace initiatives, such as President Biden's initiative with Egypt and Qatar.
With this intervention in the proceedings of the International Court of Justice, our sole objective is to put an end to the war and to start moving forward with the implementation of the two-State solution, which is the only guarantee for achieving peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis and for the whole region.
They all have the right to peace, exactly the same right.