OVIEOD, Spain 

Spain’s recognition of Palestine sends an “important message to the world,” the Qatari prime minister said in Madrid on Friday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was speaking alongside Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on the occasion of the first-ever strategic dialogue conference between Spain and Qatar.

“The Spanish kingdom has engaged in ethical and brave work that shows the vision of its government to defend international law,” he said at a joint news conference, pointing to Spain’s recognition of Palestine as of May 28 and efforts to get more Western countries to follow suit.

“It sends a clear message, in a critical moment, to the whole world that the dual criteria, so often applied, should end and that international law should prevail … with no one outside of it,” he added, thanking Spain for creating momentum for an international movement toward peace and a two-state solution.

Albares, for his part, praised the Qatari premier, who is also the Gulf country's foreign minister, for the nation's “extraordinary role” in efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and release of hostages in Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians in the territory since a cross-border incursion that claimed 1,200 lives and around 250 were taken as hostages. Some of them were released during a brief November truce.

Mediators Qatar and Egypt are still negotiating a US-backed cease-fire proposal with Hamas.

“We haven’t quite reached the final formula for the best solution but once we finish this process we will have communication with the Israeli side to reach an agreement as soon as possible,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Albares also shared an update about Spain’s participation in South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He said Madris has finished writing all the related documents but is currently exchanging ideas with Chile and other countries involved to contrast the legal arguments.

He added that Spain will submit its arguments to the ICJ in the coming days.

The bilateral dialogue aims to boost further trade, investment, tourism as well as cultural and scientific cooperation between the two nations.