International
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN believes that Spain “opened a door that others will follow”
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Ryad Mansour, believes that Spain is in the group of “brave countries that opened a door that others will follow,” in reference to the recognition of the State of Palestine, which materializes on Tuesday.
In an interview with EFE at the UN headquarters, Mansour, 77, emphasizes that Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, has exercised “a sovereign right,” and is therefore a decision that “competes with Spain, its institutions and its people,” so he does not understand “the hysterical reaction of Israel.”
Mansour has been at the head of the Palestinian mission at the UN for 19 years and has become famous in recent months for starring in emotional speeches in the General Assembly or the Security Council in which he has been about to cry in the hardest days of the war.
Since last October 7, when the war began in Gaza with the attack in Hamas, he has deployed tireless activity in the corridors of the UN and has managed, for example, to unite the Arab Group of ambassadors and make them appear together regularly before the media, thus overcoming their differences present in almost all other conflicts.
Mansour believes that Israel has an “elitist and racist” attitude when he arrogates the right to tell countries whether or not they should recognize Palestine, or when he describes that recognition as “hostile”, to which he replies: “Is Spain an enemy of Israel because it believes in peace and invests in it? Please, it’s crazy!” he says, emphasizing that Spain has “a long historical relationship with Israel” (it recognized the Hebrew State in 1986) that no one doubts.
And although Israel has despised that recognition of Palestine as insignificant, Mansour questions it: “Don’t you care? Don’t they care about the bilateral relationship, the military assistance, the economic relationship? The hysteria with which they have accepted the decision (of recognition) is eloquent, otherwise why this fury? Why those measures against Spain, against Palestine?” he says, in relation to Israel’s announcement to prohibit the Spanish Consulate from providing services in the West Bank.
For the ambassador, there is no doubt that the decision of recognition has paved the way for others to do soon – he cites Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg or Slovenia – and he says that this “door they have opened” works in two ways: it makes the decision of those already favorable easier and hinders resistance between those who oppose.
He has no doubt that it is a decision with echoes beyond Europe, since it can encourage other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or Korea. “The brave ones who started by opening that door will help them take the extra step in the right direction,” he says.
Mansour also believes that the admission of Palestine as a full member of the UN – vetoed alone by the United States on April 18 – is a matter of time, and recalls that other countries subject to vetoes, such as Italy itself before 1955, or the two Koreas, ended up accessing the UN through the big door. Palestine is now just an “observer state.”
“Why do we have to be at the mercy of what the occupier (Israel) says?, that violates our right to self-determination,” he explains, alluding to the reasoning that the United States – and others such as the United Kingdom or France – always repeats that a Palestinian State and its entry into the UN is something that must be the result of a negotiated resolution with Israel.
The ambassador is careful to openly criticize the United States for its unwakeable support for Israel, but says that when President Joe Biden talks about the solution of the States, he must specify it: “Are you going to ask for the settlements to stop? Land annexations in East Jerusalem? Are you going to reconsider the transfer of the Embassy? Tell me, what steps are you going to take?”
Regarding whether he prefers a Democratic government or a return of Donald Trump – president who multiplied more of the gestures towards Israel – the ambassador says he does not plan to make comments on national policy, but he recalls one detail: that in the Trump administration, after nine months of relative “honeymoon”, the United States changed its position and “the relationship became very bad.”
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
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