Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz issued a decision prohibiting the Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem from providing service to the Palestinians, while Madrid stressed its firm position in recognizing a Palestinian state.
Katz wrote in a post on the “X” platform, “In response to Spain’s recognition of the Palestinian state and the anti-Semitic call made by Yolanda Diaz, the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, not only to recognize the Palestinian state but also to “liberate Palestine from the river to the sea,” I decided to sever the relationship. Between Spanish representation in Israel and the Palestinians, and preventing the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians from the West Bank.”
He added: “If this ignorant, hate-filled personality wants to understand what radical Islam really seeks, then she should study 700 years of Islamic rule in Andalusia – Spain today.”
In response to Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state and the antisemitic call by Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister to not just recognize a Palestinian state but to ‘liberate Palestine from the river to the sea,’ I have decided to sever the connection between Spain’s…
— Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 24, 2024
For his part, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez said that no one can terrorize Spain and dissuade it from demanding an immediate ceasefire and recognition of the Palestinian state.
He added that the situation in the Gaza Strip does not allow us to wait any longer, and that East Jerusalem must be the capital of Palestine.
Protest petition
Albarez confirmed that his government will submit a protest petition to its Israeli counterpart after the decision to prevent Palestinians from benefiting from Spanish consular services in Jerusalem.
Albarez denied the accusations of anti-Semitism leveled against the Spanish government by the Israeli Foreign Minister.
This measure is considered unprecedented with countries that have general consulates in Jerusalem, as Israel has never resorted to such a measure, including when Sweden recognized Palestine in October 2014.
Many countries have consulates general in occupied East Jerusalem, some of them before 1967.
While the embassies in Tel Aviv specialize in providing services to Israelis, the general consulates in East Jerusalem specialize in providing services to the Palestinians and political relations.
Last Wednesday, Norway, Ireland, and Spain announced their official recognition of the State of Palestine, effective May 28.
Before this development, eight member countries of the European Union recognized the State of Palestine: Bulgaria, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, the Greek Cypriot Administration, and Sweden.
Palestine is a non-member observer state in the United Nations, according to the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 29, 2012.