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Date Published: 01/12/2023

Israel recalls ambassador from Spain following diplomatic crisis

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The Spanish PM has managed to offend the Israelis with his calls for them to stop killing innocent children

Israel recalls ambassador from Spain following diplomatic crisis

A diplomatic row between Spain and Israel has escalated to the point that the Israeli ambassador to Spain has been recalled after President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, said he had “genuine doubts” about whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law.

The bombardment of Gaza by Israel has been going on for almost two months since Hamas attacked Israeli targets on October 7 and took hundreds of hostages.

Spain’s Pedro Sánchez has been heavily involved in the peacekeeping mission but, unlike many other western politicians, has been very vocally critical of Israel’s tactics.

Last week, he insisted that Israel stop killing innocent civilians, “including thousands of children”.

“We’ve said from the very beginning that what Hamas did in Israel is absolutely atrocious and abominable,” he said in a TVE interview on Thursday morning, November 30, but added, “We have to tell Israel, with the same conviction, that its actions must be based on international humanitarian law.”

He continued, “With the images we’re seeing and the growing number of people – especially children – who are being killed, I have genuine doubts that they’re complying with international humanitarian law.”

While Spain is a fully paid-up member of the European Union and rarely steps outside the official EU line, Sánchez, who was recently invested as President for a second time under controversial circumstances, has hinted that the country could unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state even if other EU members fail to do so.

In response to the perceived slight, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “shameful statement” and instructed his foreign minister, Eli Cohen, to reprimand the Spanish ambassador to Israel.

Cohen said Sánchez’s words were “outrageous” and that “Israel acts and will continue to act according to international law and we will continue the war until the release of all the abductees and the elimination of Hamas in Gaza.”

The Israeli foreign ministry has also slammed Spain for “giving support to terrorism”, while Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, called the Israeli government’s comments “false, misplaced and unacceptable”.

What with the sensitive nature of the issue and the hefty history behind this conflict, there is little room in the public discourse for nuanced analysis that can condemn terrorist violence whilst calling for a measured and humane response to it.

Between Israel and Spain, the back-and-forth continues to escalate.

This is not the first time ambassadors have been recalled from Spain due to international crises. Morrocco recalled its ambassador in Madrid in 2021 after Spain allowed for Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali to be treated in a Spanish hospital; Algeria recalled its ambassador in 2022 following a dispute over Spain’s position on the Sahara region, and only just sent a new ambassador this month; and Nicaragua also recalled its ambassador from Spain after Foreign Minister Albares demanded the country comply with human rights law.

Image: @IsraeliPM/Twitter

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