The criticism of Israel by some members of the acting central government and the subsequent censure of some ministers by the Israeli embassy has caused a diplomatic clash between Madrid and Tel Aviv.
“The Government of Spain categorically rejects the falsehoods expressed in the statement from the Embassy of Israel about some of its members and does not accept unfounded insinuations about them,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation replied in a statement sent at the last minute. this Monday. “Any political leader can freely express positions as a representative of a political party in a full democracy such as Spain,” adds the response from the department headed by José Manuel Albares, which emphasizes that “the only viable solution to achieve a situation of peace and stability in the region is the solution of two States that coexist in peace and security, as has been endorsed by the United Nations”.
A few hours earlier, the State of Israel had “strongly” condemned the recent “shameful” statements by some members of the Spanish Government and had asked the head of the central Executive, Pedro Sánchez, to denounce and condemn them unequivocally. In the statement issued by the Israeli embassy in Spain, Tel Aviv described as “deeply worrying” that “certain elements within the Spanish Government have chosen to align themselves with this ISIS-type terrorism”, a veiled allusion to the Podemos ministers.
The embassy statement stressed that the positions they censure come at a time when Israel “is mourning” the loss of innocent lives in the “barbaric” Hamas attack on October 7, in which more More than 1,300 men, women and children were “barbarically murdered”, and more than 150 civilians, including children, women and the elderly remain captives of Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
The text did not specifically identify the heads of the Executive to whom they attribute the “shameful” statements, but this Monday from Podemos, formation of the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, and the Minister of Social Rights, Ione Belarra, The acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has been called upon to take advantage of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to “stop” the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Likewise, the purple formation has reiterated that the Government must take it to the International Criminal Court because it is perpetrating a “genocide” against the Palestinian people, a proposal that has received the support of Izquierda Unida, a group of the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón.
For its part, the Sumar formation, of the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, has included in the negotiation with the PSOE to reissue a coalition government that one of the first measures of the new Executive be the recognition of the Palestinian State unilaterally and unconditionally. , without waiting for there to be a common position in the European Union.
In the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, it is highlighted that “the Government emphasizes that the position of the Government of Spain as a whole with respect to the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas is clear: categorical condemnation, demand for release immediate and unconditional release of hostages and recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself within the limits set by International Law and International Humanitarian Law.” “The Government as a whole has repeatedly expressed the need to distinguish the Palestinian population from the terrorist group Hamas, to protect the civilian population of Gaza and the imperative need to maintain the basic supplies essential for the well-being of said population,” continues the document.
“These statements are not only absolutely immoral, but they also endanger the security of the Jewish communities in Spain, exposing them to the risk of a greater number of anti-Semitic incidents and attacks,” the Israeli embassy has warned. “We call on the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to denounce and unequivocally condemn these shameful statements,” the statement concludes.
Following the statement released by the Israeli embassy, ??Belarra has reiterated her position and has criticized the criticism for being equated with “alienating with Hamas.” “Your government is carrying out war crimes in the Gaza Strip, massive bombings, water and electricity cuts, they are not letting in humanitarian aid. Denouncing this genocide is not ‘aligning with Hamas’, it is a democratic obligation. Silence, complicity with terror,” the head of Social Rights, who yesterday attended a pro-Palestinian march, said in a tweet.
