2023-12-06 15:00:05
WORLD – Benjamin Netanyahu’s office strongly condemned Pedro Sánchez’s remarks, calling them “shameful”, following doubts openly expressed by the Spanish Prime Minister about Israel’s respect for international humanitarian law during its offensive against Gaza.
Diplomatic conflict between Spain and Israel intensifies as Israel takes drastic measures. Indeed, the repatriation of its ambassador to Madrid, Rodica Radian-Gordon, announced on Friday December 1, worsens the situation. The decision resulted from doubts expressed by Pedro Sánchez about the Jewish state’s compliance with international humanitarian law during its bombing of Gaza.
Poignant statements and strong positions at the Rafah border post
The crisis began on Friday, November 24, when Pedro Sánchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo made harsh statements during their visit to the Rafah border crossing, between Egypt and Gaza. De Croo declared: “The destruction of Gaza is unacceptable. We cannot accept that a society is destroyed in the way it is”. Sánchez, meanwhile, said Israel must respect international humanitarian law. “This is not the case”he added, referring to the Israeli bombings on Gaza.
Pedro Sánchez also opened the door to the possibility of Spain unilaterally recognizing the Palestinian state if the European Union does not opt for coordinated recognition. “The time has come for the international community and the EU to recognize the State of Palestine once and for all. This is something worth doing, it is important enough and we must do it together in the ‘European Union. But if this is not the case, Spain will make its own decisions’he estimated.
A severe diplomatic measure
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen publicly announced the summons of the Israeli ambassador to Spain due to comments deemed scandalous by the Spanish Prime Minister. Cohen said on the release of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas in Gaza. Hamas is solely responsible for the October 7 massacre and the current situation in Gaza, committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The recall of an ambassador for consultations, synonymous with indefinite withdrawal, represents a severe diplomatic form of expressing discontent and exerting pressure. Morocco and Algeria used this measure against Madrid over the Sahara conflict. Their ambassadors thus left their position vacant for 10 and 19 months. Israel had previously announced its intention to summon the Spanish ambassador to Tel Aviv, Ana María Sálomon Pérez, for the second time in less than a week.
Attempts at appeasement and Israeli reaction
Sánchez, in his statements to TVE, described Spain’s relations with Israel as “correct”. He justified his criticism of the Israeli army in Gaza by saying: “We, friendly countries, must also tell each other the truth”. He again condemned the October 7 attack, expressed full support for Israel, called on Hamas to immediately release all Israeli hostages, but expressed serious doubts about Israel’s respect for international humanitarian law, given the images. and the growing number of deaths in Gaza, particularly children.
Shortly before Benjamin Netanyahu’s office expressed its displeasure with Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares suggested that the diplomatic crisis was easing. He informed that he had expressed, to Eli Cohen, his Israeli counterpart, the “solidarity and condolences” of the Spanish government for the attack in Jerusalem on November 30.
However, the current reaction is more severe than before. It practically amounts to a suspension of political relations. Sources in the Israeli administration emphasize that what matters is not so much the nuances of Sánchez’s comments on Thursday, November 30, but his “recurrence.”
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