Mexico calls for recognition of Palestinian state amid war

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for the recognition of the state of Palestine alongside Israel, reaffirming her country’s longstanding position on the matter.

In a statement on Saturday, reported by Revista Proceso, she declared, “We condemn the aggressions that are being experienced and also consider that the state of Palestine must be recognized in its entirety just like the State of Israel. This has been Mexico’s position for many years, and that is the position we have. We search for peace above all.”

During her daily press conference, Sheinbaum condemned the ongoing violence in the Middle East, emphasizing that “war will never lead to a good outcome,” according to Sky News Arabia. She urged a peaceful resolution of the conflict and called upon international institutions to play a more active role. “The United Nations should be much more proactive as an institution in the search for and construction of world peace,” she stated.

Former secretary of foreign affairs Alicia Bárcena, now serving as the secretary of the environment, echoed the president’s sentiments. She warned of the potential expansion of the conflict to neighboring countries, saying, “There is concern about the risk of the expansion of this conflict to Lebanon and Syria. That could really complicate the Middle East a lot,” as reported by Revista Proceso.

Bárcena highlighted the disproportionate nature of Israel’s response following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023. “It is true that Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, but it is also true that Israel’s response has been disproportionate and has affected thousands of civilians, not only in Gaza, in Palestine as a whole, and now it is happening in Lebanon. So there is really an enormous concern,” she said.

She also addressed issues within the UN Security Council, particularly the use of the veto power that often stalls decisive action. Bárcena asserted, “The key is for the Security Council to eliminate the veto, because it is not operating because it is stalled in the vetoes, so the veto should be eliminated so that the council can really act decisively according to Article 4 of the UN Charter and recognize the state of Palestine. The United Nations already did it, but the only solution to that conflict will be that there are two states.”

Condemning Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks

The Mexican president recalled that Bárcena had previously condemned both the actions of the Palestinian terror groups and the aggressions of the Israeli government. She mentioned that Bárcena “condemned the massacre and illegal detention of people by a Palestinian group, and later also condemned the aggressions of the Israeli state or government against Palestine and what is currently happening in the world.”

Sheinbaum also reminded that the previous Mexican government led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador had condemned the attack by Hamas on Israel, as well as the subsequent devastating Israeli bombardment of Gaza, according to Sky News Arabia.

Bárcena added that Mexico had joined a petition made by Chile to the International Criminal Court. “The international community is aware of the complication of the conflict in the Middle East with its expansion,” she noted. Both leaders emphasized Mexico’s commitment to international legal mechanisms in seeking justice and accountability.

Sheinbaum, known for her leftist political stance and European Jewish ancestry, has declared her atheism, as reported by Sky News Arabia. She has a history of criticizing Israeli actions in Gaza, including a public letter in January 2009 where she criticized a previous Israeli operation in the coastal enclave. Her consistent stance highlights her long-term commitment to advocating for peace and the recognition of Palestinian rights.