Israel Summons Spanish Ambassador Amid Escalating Diplomatic Tensions
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has called for a meeting with the Spanish ambassador following President Pedro Sánchez's remarks regarding Israel's actions in Gaza.
The Israeli government has summoned Ana Salomón Pérez, the Spanish ambassador, for a meeting on Thursday, following a statement made by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in which he described Israel as a "genocidal state." The remarks came during a session in the Spanish Congress, where Sánchez responded to accusations from Gabriel Rufián, a spokesperson for the leftist party ERC, regarding Spain's trade relations with Israel.
Sánchez emphasized, "We do not trade with a genocidal state.
We do not do this, sir," responding directly to Rufián's comments.
This diplomatic incident has its roots in the ongoing controversy in Spain surrounding the purchase of Israeli arms amidst Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
On April 24, Sánchez announced the cancellation of a contract for the purchase of ammunition from an Israeli company, IMI Systems, valued at €6.6 million for 15 million rounds of ammunition intended for the Spanish Civil Guard.
This decision was made to maintain coalition unity with Sánchez's left-wing government partner, Sumar.
In reaction to the cancellation, the Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned the Spanish decision, emphasizing that Spain was prioritizing political considerations over security needs.
The Ministry asserted that Spain was continuing to align itself "on the wrong side of history" and was positioning itself against the State of Israel, which it claims is defending itself from terrorist attacks on multiple fronts.
The call for the Spanish ambassador's summoning is part of a broader pattern of diplomatic tensions that have escalated since Sánchez began to vocalize criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The first formal challenge to Ambassador Salomón Pérez occurred in November 2023, shortly after Sánchez made headlines for calling on Israel to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Palestinian territories during a press conference at the Rafah border crossing.
In May 2024, tensions flared again when Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned both the Israeli ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, and Salomón Pérez for consultations.
This meeting followed the announcement that the Spanish government would formally recognize the State of Palestine, which Katz criticized, alleging that Spain was rewarding the actions of Hamas with such recognition.
Sánchez emphasized, "We do not trade with a genocidal state.
We do not do this, sir," responding directly to Rufián's comments.
This diplomatic incident has its roots in the ongoing controversy in Spain surrounding the purchase of Israeli arms amidst Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
On April 24, Sánchez announced the cancellation of a contract for the purchase of ammunition from an Israeli company, IMI Systems, valued at €6.6 million for 15 million rounds of ammunition intended for the Spanish Civil Guard.
This decision was made to maintain coalition unity with Sánchez's left-wing government partner, Sumar.
In reaction to the cancellation, the Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned the Spanish decision, emphasizing that Spain was prioritizing political considerations over security needs.
The Ministry asserted that Spain was continuing to align itself "on the wrong side of history" and was positioning itself against the State of Israel, which it claims is defending itself from terrorist attacks on multiple fronts.
The call for the Spanish ambassador's summoning is part of a broader pattern of diplomatic tensions that have escalated since Sánchez began to vocalize criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The first formal challenge to Ambassador Salomón Pérez occurred in November 2023, shortly after Sánchez made headlines for calling on Israel to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Palestinian territories during a press conference at the Rafah border crossing.
In May 2024, tensions flared again when Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned both the Israeli ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, and Salomón Pérez for consultations.
This meeting followed the announcement that the Spanish government would formally recognize the State of Palestine, which Katz criticized, alleging that Spain was rewarding the actions of Hamas with such recognition.
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