The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, has not ignored the conflict between Israel and Gaza in the speech given at Military Easter. The meeting at the Royal Palace takes place two days after Rodica Radian, Israel’s ambassador to Spain, returned to our country due to the “change for the better” in Pedro Sánchez’s messages. That’s what diplomatic sources at ABC alleged. However, today Robles wanted to make Spain’s position clear.
The Minister recalled that one of the priorities of the Armed Forces is the “search for peace”, and that the commitment to that objective is “total and absolute in all the places where they deploy.” That is why he has stated that “in the face of wars, conflicts and any kind of injustice, we cannot be indifferent. There is no room for silence in the face of violations of the basic principles and rules of International Humanitarian Law or the Charter of the United Nations, whether wherever they occur.”
After that forceful statement, the minister recalled that “since the beginning of the illegitimate Russian aggression against Ukraine — it will now be two years ago — we have supported and will continue to support Ukraine in its right to self-defense and in its fight for independence. and sovereignty, in the face of the unjust and cruel invasion carried out by Putin”. She also recalled that “in the same way” Spain will continue to condemn “the violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and we strongly request an immediate permanent ceasefire.”
Robles has stated that Spain will continue with the “historic commitment to peace, diplomacy, cooperation and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.” A commitment that places the country as “one of the main contributors to peacekeeping and security operations” of organizations such as NATO and the EU. “During 2023, we have maintained a constant effort in our missions abroad, under mandates from the UN, NATO and EU. These deployments carried out in different parts of the world require an enormous and silent logistics effort,” said the minister. .
Spain currently has three thousand troops deployed in 17 missions throughout the world. In addition, starting this month the deployment begins in the new Slovak mission, which Spain will lead starting in July with more than 600 troops on the ground. Of these missions, Robles wanted to highlight especially that of Lebanon, where the Spanish general Aroldo Lázaro commands. According to the minister, “he is carrying out his mission, with very high efficiency and professionalism, despite the difficult circumstances in which they have to carry it out.”
“The instability of the environment and the threats in an increasingly globalized world make it necessary to continue providing our Armed Forces with modern capabilities, which enjoy versatility in their deployment and place them at the forefront in terms of innovation and technological development,” he said. Robles insisted. For this reason, he has focused that part of his speech on the “investment effort in Defense” carried out by the Government in 2023. An effort that “they will continue to make in 2024”, he has assured. The minister recalled the programs underway and the 18 new programs that begin this year and that are “necessary for the modernization of the three armies.”