Europe – Seven European countries announced on Friday their refusal to join the proposed “Peace Council” initiative to administer the Gaza Strip after the war. They affirmed their commitment to the United Nations system and the international order based on multilateral legitimacy.
The countries that refused to join included Spain, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Slovenia. All expressed legal, constitutional, and political concerns regarding the initiative. It is believed that the initiative is being managed by a single country outside the framework of international consensus.
European positions vary… but the rejection is the same
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez affirmed that his country appreciates efforts to end the war in Gaza. However, it will not join any framework that is not aligned with the United Nations system. He also emphasized Madrid’s commitment to multilateralism.
For his part, the spokesperson for French President Emmanuel Macron explained that the proposed statutes for the “Peace Council” extend beyond the scope of Gaza. He added that they raise serious questions regarding respect for the UN Charter and its legal structure.
In Italy, the Corriere della Sera newspaper quoted government sources as saying that Rome refused to join due to concerns that involvement in a single-state entity could lead to a potential conflict with the Italian Constitution.
