Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Spain of waging a diplomatic war against Israel and barred Madrid from participating in a coordination center overseeing the Gaza “ceasefire.” In a video statement posted on X on Friday, Netanyahu declared, “We will not remain silent in the face of those who attack us,” escalating tensions between the two nations.
Netanyahu alleged that Spain has “defamed our heroes, the soldiers of the IDF [Israeli army], the soldiers of the most moral army in the world.” He stated, “Therefore, I have instructed today to remove Spain’s representatives from the coordination center in Kiryat Gat, after Spain has chosen repeatedly to stand against Israel.” This move comes amid ongoing criticism from Madrid over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also slammed Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, claiming his government has leveled “blood libels” at Israel and its army. Saar wrote on X, “Spain’s obsessive anti-Israel bias under Sanchez’s leadership is so egregious that it has lost all capability to serve a constructive role in implementing POTUS’s [President of the United States] peace plan and the center operating under it.” The statement underscores the deepening rift, with Spain’s left-wing government having recognized the state of Palestine and spoken out against the treatment of Palestinians in occupied territories.
Relations between Israel and Spain have deteriorated since Israel launched its war against Palestinians in Gaza in October 2023. In the following year, Spain recognized Palestine, with Sanchez’s government opposing what it termed mistreatment in the occupied territory. Additionally, Spain opposed the U.S.-Israel war on Iran that began on February 28 and closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in the conflict, further straining ties with the U.S.-led alliance.
The Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), a U.S.-led base established as part of Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war on Gaza, is responsible for monitoring the “ceasefire” and facilitating humanitarian aid into the enclave. The U.S. set up the CMCC in October as a hub for military personnel and diplomats from other countries to collaborate with Israel and the U.S. on security and humanitarian issues in Gaza. Despite the “ceasefire,” Israel has continued near-daily attacks on Gaza, with restrictions on vital aid deliveries persisting, raising questions about the effectiveness of such coordination efforts.
Source: www.aljazeera.com