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Israeli Embassy accuses Spanish government of ‘aligning with terrorism’

The Israeli Embassy in Spain has criticised what it called "absolutely immoral" statements made by "certain members" of the Spanish government in reference to the conflict in Gaza, accusations Spain's foreign ministry strongly denies.

Published: 17 October 2023 12:51 CEST
Israeli Embassy accuses Spanish government of 'aligning with terrorism'
Demonstrators wave Palestinian flags and hold signs as they attend a rally in support of the Palestinian people in Madrid on October 15, 2023. Photo: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP.

The Israeli Embassy in Spain has released a statement in which it “strongly condemns the recent statements of some members of the Spanish government” with regards to the escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza and calls on the acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to “denounce and condemn unequivocally these shameful statements.”

“These statements are not only absolutely immoral, but they also endanger the safety of Jewish communities of Spain, exposing them to the risk of a greater number of incidents and anti-Semitic attacks,” the statement also says.

You can see the full statement, posted on Twitter/X below, where the Israeli Embassy in Madrid accuses certain members of the Spanish government of “aligning with this ISIS-style terrorism”.

Without naming any specific government ministers, the statement is likely partly directed towards Ione Belarra, leader of Podemos and Minister for Social Rights, as well as other figures in parties to the left of Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists (PSOE) who have governed in coalition since 2019.

Belarra attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Madrid on Sunday and has been outspoken on social media in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack and the resulting Israeli counter-offensive.

Her party’s stance was made even clearer when Unidas Podemos member Pablo Fernández wore a Palestinian tracksuit top at a press conference on Monday.

The Israeli statement puts Sánchez in something of an awkward political position as he tries to balance investiture negotiations with left-wing parties Sumar and Podemos and Spain’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Sumar has explicitly “condemned” the attacks against the civilian population committed by Hamas in Israel, while its leader Yolanda Díaz has used the word “apartheid.”

Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded with a forceful statement in which it “strongly rejects the falsehoods expressed in the statement of the Israeli Embassy about some of its members and does not accept unfounded insinuations about them.”

“Any political leader can freely express positions as a representative of a political party in a full democracy such as Spain,” the statement went on to say, clarifying the government position. “In any case, the position of the Spanish government as a whole with respect to the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas is clear: categorical condemnation, demand for immediate and unconditional release of hostages and recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself within the limits set by international law.”

READ ALSO: How war in Israel could affect Spain

Belarra has herself responded to the statement on Twitter/X. “This 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.”

Far-left fringes of the government coalition aside, the Spanish government has so far taken what could be considered a slightly outrider position on the issue, particularly when compared to its European neighbours.

Spain is one of the few major Western countries which has not played a visible public role in visits to Israel in the aftermath of the attacks, and Sánchez, along with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, have been reluctant to throw his full weight behind US and EU support of Israel, calling instead for caution in Israel’s response.

Political pundits in Spain have suggested this is a foreign policy calculation with domestic policy in mind, namely not to inflame tensions with Sumar or Podemos during a key phase of negotiations to ensure his re-election.

Sánchez has taken a more discreet position on the issue overall, something seemingly at odds with Spain’s EU council presidency.

However, he has publicly condemned Hamas and supported Israel’s right to defend itself, though he tempered that language by insisting that “it is essential” civilians on all sides be protected.

Spain’s acting Prime Minister also said at a European summit this week that recognition of a Palestinian state is the “only way to definitively resolve the conflict” and called for a two-state solution “so that they can coexist in peace and security.”

Whereas the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy have all reiterated their positions “as allies and as common friends of Israel”, Spain seems reluctant to explicitly do so yet. Of the major European and Western countries, Spain is one of the few governed by the left and the Israeli Embassy statement seems a clear challenge to fringes of the far-left in the Spanish government.

However, although Palestine has historically been a cornerstone foreign policy issue for many left-wing movements and parties around the world, it seems Spain’s backseat position on the issue thus far is at least partly rooted in the Spanish left’s domestic policy too, and its chances of being reelected.

Sánchez and the acting government have been criticised by the right-wing opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who has demanded that the government clarify its position: “They contradict each other, some do not condemn the Hamas terror attacks and others try to justify them,” the Partido Popular leader said in an interview on esRadio.

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POLITICS

‘It’s time to reset Britain’s relations with Europe’

As he begins his first overseas trip, the UK's new Foreign Secretary David Lammy writes for The Local on how Britain plans to rebuild ties with Europe and become a better neighbour.

Published: 7 July 2024 08:54 CEST
'It’s time to reset Britain's relations with Europe'

I am a man of multiple identities. Londoner. English. Patriotic Brit. Proud of my Caribbean heritage. A transatlanticist. And, throughout my political career, absolutely committed to a close partnership with our European neighbours. 

As the new British Foreign Secretary, with our Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this government will reset relations with Europe as a reliable partner, a dependable ally and a good neighbour. 

That is why I am travelling immediately to some of our key European partners. Sitting down with Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, Poland’s Radek Sikorski and Sweden’s Tobias Billström, my message will be simple: let us seize the opportunity for a reset, working even more closely together to tackle shared challenges. 

READ ALSO: New UK foreign minister in Germany for first trip abroad

The most immediate of these challenges, of course, is Ukraine. We will stand by the brave people of Ukraine, as they defend their freedom against Vladimir Putin’s new form of fascism.

British military, economic, political and diplomatic support for Ukraine will remain ironclad. But we are always stronger when we work with others. Germany, Poland and Sweden are all also staunch supporters of Ukraine. European security will be this government’s foreign and defence priority.

Russia’s barbaric invasion has made clear the need for us to do more to strengthen our own defences.

Next week, the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary and I will all travel to Washington for the NATO Summit. 75 years ago, my political hero and former Labour Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, was pivotal to forming the Alliance. He would have been delighted to see NATO grow larger over the years, with Germany, Poland and now Sweden all joining the most successful defensive alliance in history. 

This Government’s commitment to the Alliance is unshakeable, just as it was in Bevin’s time. I will be discussing this weekend how NATO allies can go further in investing in our tightly connected defence industries and providing Ukraine with its own clear path to joining our alliance. 

Alongside security, we want to do more together to bring prosperity to our continent. None of us can address the urgency of the climate emergency alone – we need coordinated global action. This is particularly important in Europe, whose energy networks are so closely connected – together, we must invest in the industries of the future and deliver sustained economic growth for all.

And finally, we must do more to champion the ties between our people and our culture. Holidays, family ties, school and student exchanges, the arts, and sport (I was of course cheering on England in the Euros…). Thanks to this, our citizens benefit from the rich diversity of our continent. 

We can deliver more cooperation in many areas bilaterally, via NATO and in groupings like the G7, the Joint Expeditionary Force or the European Political Community which will gather at Blenheim Palace on July 18th. 

But if we are to fulfil our ambitions for a reset, we must also improve Britain’s relationship with the European Union.

I will be explaining to my new fellow Foreign Ministers how our new Government’s proposal for an ambitious and broad-ranging UK-EU Security Pact would underpin closer cooperation between us, enshrining a new geopolitical partnership. I also look forward to hearing their ideas for how we can rebuild trust and reset the relationship between the UK and the EU. 

Over centuries, our individual and national stories have come together to tell a wider story of shared progress. Today, we all share a commitment to democracy, human rights and international law. Tragic experiences in our continent’s shared past have helped us to understand how our shared security and prosperity depend on these shared values.

And I believe these values also offer a foundation for closer partnership in the future. My visit this weekend is just the beginning. I look forward to seeing Britain reconnect with our European neighbours in the years ahead.

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