ANDThe Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced this Friday that he has instructed to cut the connection between the Spanish Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Palestinians; as well as prohibiting the Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem from “providing services to Palestinians in the West Bank.”
“If this ignorant and hateful person wants to understand what radical Islam really seeks, let him go and learn about the 700 years of Islamic rule in Al Andalus, in what is now Spain,” Katz said in a message on his account. of X in reference to the vice president and Minister of Labor.
Katz’s message is published in Hebrew, English and Spanish, and in this latest version it mentions both President Pedro Sánchez and the leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Núnez Feijoo.
Israel Katz tweet.
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“This expression is a clear call for the elimination of Israel, promoting hatred and violence,” he lamented yesterday to the Israeli ambassador in Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, criticism that also came from the Jewish communities in Spain.
Recognition of the Palestinian State is a matter of human rights and international legality.
The situation in Palestine forces us not to stay here. We have to continue working to end the genocide and achieve a ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/Tk3fKZw5V2
— Yolanda Díaz (@Yolanda_Diaz_) May 22, 2024
Spain announced on Wednesday, together with Ireland and Norway, its intention to recognize the Palestinian State, decision that the three countries will formalize on May 28, which provoked the anger of Israel, which demonstrated the measure “a reward for Hamas” and immediately called its ambassadors in these three countries for consultations.
In addition, he summoned the diplomatic representatives of the three countries for a “reprimand” at the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, a meeting that took place this Thursday and in which the European diplomats also saw a video made public this week of how Hamas militants kidnapped and brutalized several soldiers from an observation base in Nahal Oz, near the Strip, on October 7.
The recognition of the Palestinian State by Spain, Ireland and Norway would have even more serious consequences
Minister Katz has announced on several occasions this week that the recognition of the Palestinian State by Spain, Ireland and Norway would have “even more serious consequences.”
Spain has the embassy in Israel located in Tel Aviv, but it also has a Consulate in East Jerusalem, which functions as a de facto embassy for the Palestinians, since it not only provides consular services to them but is in charge of diplomatic ties with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), in addition to hosting the Spanish Cooperation Agency, with numerous projects in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 and annexed it in 1980, so its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the power to issue visas and permits to the staff of the Spanish Consulate.
More than 140 countries recognize the Palestinian State, eight of them European – Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Cyprus and Sweden – as well as almost all Arab countries or those historically linked to the non-aligned movement.
Spain, Ireland and Norway announced that they will recognize Palestine as a State
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“The Spanish Government will protest”
Albares was asked about how Israel can prevent the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians and whether this would involve police checks to check who comes and goes.
“As soon as I leave here, I’m going to contact my team and we’re going to analyze and see what it is about,” he explained. “In that style we, of course, are going to protest.”
“Protesting is a concrete diplomatic action that can be developed in many ways. There are many ways to protest, from a verbal note to calling an ambassador for consultations.. There is a very important range to do so and I am analyzing, also with the other two recognizing countries (of the Palestinian State), Norway and Ireland, the measures that we could adopt,” said the Spanish minister.
(We recommend: ‘Serious consequences’: Israel warns Spain, Ireland and Norway for their recognition of the Palestinian State)
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, speaks to the media before the plenary session of the Congress of Deputies held this Wednesday.
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