Sir Keir Starmer and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez both condemned the situation in Gaza, after the Spanish PM said Europe’s response to the conflict has been a “failure” and risks undermining its global credibility.
The two leaders were also due to sign a bilateral deal as they met at Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon.
Ahead of the meeting with Sir Keir, Mr Sanchez told The Guardian the conflict represents “one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century”.
“It is a failure,” said Mr Sanchez, the first European leader to accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
He added: “Absolutely. It is also the reality that, within the EU, there are countries that are divided when it comes to how to influence Israel.
“But in my opinion, it’s not acceptable and we can’t last longer if we want to increase our credibility when it comes to other crises, such as the one we face in Ukraine.”
His comments come days after local health officials said 31 people were killed in strikes across the Gaza Strip as Israel presses ahead with a major military offensive.
As he and Sir Keir met in Downing Street’s white room, the Prime Minister said the “terrible situation in Gaza” would be among the topics they would discuss, as well as the war in Ukraine, and trade ties between the UK and Spain.
Mr Sanchez, meanwhile, described the situation in the Middle East as a “terrible tragedy”.
The two leaders said they would be signing a new bilateral agreement, which is aimed at strengthening co-operation on economic growth, migration and other shared interests.
The agreement comes after Sir Keir and Mr Sanchez’s governments brokered a deal to remove border checks at Gibraltar over the summer, alongside the EU.
Sir Keir said: “Of course, we’re here today to sign a bilateral agreement on the back of all the hard work we’ve done on Gibraltar.
“It really is a very important day for me and my Government to welcome you here.”
The meeting between the Prime Minister and his Spanish counterpart was the first of its kind in seven years at Downing Street.
The UK still intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September, joining Spain and other European nations, David Lammy told MPs on Monday.
Speaking to the Guardian, Mr Sanchez said the US, under President Donald Trump, was ending the international order established after the Second World War.
But he suggested the US withdrawal from major institutions such as the World Health Organisation could create an opening for Europe and the UK to assert greater global leadership.
“The most shocking reality that we’re facing is that the principal architect of the international order – which is the US after the Second World War – is now weakening this international order, and that’s something that’s not going to be positive for US society or for the rest of the world – especially western countries,” he said.
“That is why I think there’s an opportunity for the European Union and also for the UK.”
Mr Sanchez and Mr Trump clashed earlier this year over Spain’s refusal to spend 5% of its GDP on defence, but the prime minister insisted his country would be a “reliable” Nato partner.
He also spoke of the “dilemma” western societies increasingly faced when deciding how to handle immigration.
“I believe that the vast majority of citizens in Spain understand quite well that migration is also an opportunity and not only a moral duty,” Mr Sanchez said.
“It’s an opportunity to respond effectively to the challenges that we are facing when it comes to economic growth and when it comes to the labour market or helping to finance our welfare state in the present and the future.”
