Spain’s Socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has been one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in 2023. While his outspoken stance has angered Tel Aviv and drawn accusations of cynicism from his critics, it has boosted Sánchez’s presence on the international stage as he struggles with crises at home. In mid-December, the Spanish leader received the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in the prime minister’s residence in Madrid. “Dear president, Spain is committed to the Palestinian cause and part of that commitment lies in our ability to mobilise...