Readers may have read the letter signed by Malta, Belgium, Ireland, and Spain to the EU Council proposing EU sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Pedro Sanchez and Robert Abela, who are rarely if ever involved in international conflicts, are taking the opportunity from the war in Gaza to salvage their political careers at home. Admittedly I agree with this proposal because it puts pressure on Israel to comply with international law. This measure, however, is not original and follows a previous measure taken by the US government. Very recently, a school in the West Bank funded by the EU was destroyed by Israeli settlers.
Interestingly enough, the letter and even this proposal were originally penned and proposed to the signatory group by Pedro Sanchez’s team. Spain seems to be behind the drive of this group, and understandably so, because Sanchez desperately needs a political win and international sympathy after making a deal back home with state secessionists who conspired with the Kremlin.
The act of a political leader who uses international causes and relations for domestic political ends is very common, but there have also been cases of such opportunism that ended up leaving positive effects, nonetheless. While NATO was still waiting for more bloodshed to occur before taking action, Sarkozy, motivated by his interest in removing Gaddafi, who had made political donations to him, ended up taking the initiative and saved Benghazi in the process. French President Francois Mitterand was also another political leader known to take refuge in international affairs as he battled domestic crises.
It has to be noted as well that Sanchez had previously shown interest in the post of EU Commissioner of Foreign Affairs following his future exit from Spanish politics.
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