Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, in Iran on an official visit, condemned Israel's military assault on Gaza City and the West Bank Tuesday.
"We condemn the attacks and are against all violence," Pique told reporters here at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who also ripped the attacks.
Pique pledged that Spain and the European Union would "try to encourage the parties to respect all international agreements and UN Security Council resolutions, and to settle the conflict, as well as the border disputes with Syria and Lebanon.
"The violence must stop as soon as possible. But even as we condemn these (Israel's) actions, we do not accept the recent terrorist attacks," Pique said, alluding to the 25 Israelis killed this weekend in two suicide blasts, claimed by the radical group Hamas, which triggered Israel's offensive.
"We hope for the formation of the Palestinian state capable of guaranteeing peace and security for Israel. But the military operations will not bring any solution," he said.
"Only peace negotiations can bring that," he said.
Pique arrived in Tehran late Monday for a two-day visit, and was due to meet President Mohammad Khatami Tuesday.
After a wave of reprisal strikes against the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel said early Tuesday it would step up military operations against the Palestinian Authority, branding it an organisation "supporting terrorism".
Israeli warplanes proceeded to bomb Gaza City and the West Bank later Tuesday – Tehran (AFP)
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