Spain-Israel tensions descend to new lows as conflict rages in Gaza | Israel-Palestine battle Information

Madrid, Spain – After Spain recognised Palestinian statehood, Pedro Sanchez met together with his Palestinian counterpart, Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, and main officers from a number of Center Jap international locations in Madrid.

Saudi Arabian International Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the international ministers of Turkey and Jordan had been among the many group that later posed for a photograph on the steps of the Moncloa Palace within the Spanish capital.

“On behalf of President [Mahmoud] Abbas and the federal government of Palestine, the folks of Palestine, we warmly welcome Spain’s recognition of the state of Palestine,” Mustafa stated of Spain’s historic transfer. “This recognition strengthens our resolve to proceed our wrestle for a simply and lasting peace.”

Eire, Norway and Slovenia have additionally joined Spain within the push that has been roundly condemned by Israel.

Israeli International Minister Israel Katz despatched a livid direct message addressed to Sanchez on X, writing: “Hamas thanks you in your service,” together with a 17-second video that flipped between pictures of flamenco dancers and obvious scenes of the Palestinian group’s incursion into southern Israel on October 7.

.@sanchezcastejon, Hamas thanks you in your service. pic.twitter.com/Pkdp5diHRX

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 26, 2024

He has accused Spain of complicity “in inciting genocide in opposition to Jews and conflict crimes” and referred to as Spain’s deputy prime minister, Yolanda Diaz, anti-Semitic after she closed a speech with the pro-Palestinian slogan “From the river to the ocean”.

Broadly used at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the slogan refers back to the British mandate borders of Palestine, which stretched from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean earlier than Israel was created in 1948.

“It’s the 12 months 2024, the times of the Inquisition are over. At present the Jewish folks have a sovereign and impartial state, and nobody will drive us to transform our faith or threaten our existence – those that hurt us, we’ll hurt them in return,” stated Katz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud occasion.

For months, diplomatic relations between Israel and Spain have descended to new lows. All sides has summoned ambassadors because the conflict in Gaza rages.

After Spain’s landmark transfer, Israel ordered the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem to halt companies to Palestinians within the occupied West Financial institution as a “punitive” measure.

And tensions are sure to rise additional, as Spain on Thursday introduced it will be a part of South Africa’s genocide case earlier than the Worldwide Court docket of Justice in opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Spain is the primary European nation to again the case.

Lengthy a supporter of Palestinian rights, Spain led the push in direction of recognition hoping to pave a pathway to peace and a two-state resolution.

Sanchez stated the “historic resolution … has a single aim and that’s to assist Israelis and Palestinians obtain peace”.

In line with some observers, stress from Sumar, a far-left occasion and the junior companion in Spain’s coalition authorities, had an affect on the ultimate resolution by Sanchez, who additionally reportedly plans to host a world peace convention in Madrid.

However Manuel Muniz, dean of the College of Politics, Economics and World Affairs on the IE College in Madrid, stated Israel could oppose Spain’s involvement in future peace talks.

“When it comes to the affect on Spain-Israel relations, it’s fairly evident that the short-term results are important,” he advised Al Jazeera.

“What stays unclear, is the affect that every one this can have in the long run. It most likely means Israel will push again in opposition to Spanish involvement in future peace talks with the Palestinians. However this can depend upon the character of the federal government in Israel.”

Isaias Barrenada Bajo, a specialist in relations between Spain and Palestine on the College of Complutense in Madrid, stated the unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state was the end result of years of cross-party coverage in Spain.

In 2014, the Spanish parliament handed a movement to recognise the Palestinian state but it surely by no means got here to fruition.

“What has made the distinction now’s the conflict in Gaza and the stress of Sumar to recognise the Palestinian state,” he advised Al Jazeera.

Barrenada stated for the reason that demise of the dictator Common Francisco Franco in 1975, all Spanish governments of differing political colors have supported Palestine’s proper to a state.

Away from the political enviornment, widespread opinion in Spain seems to favour backing a Palestinian state.

A survey for the Actual Elcano Institute, a suppose tank primarily based in Madrid, discovered 78 % of Spaniards favoured the popularity of Palestine, whereas 18 % had been in opposition to and 4 % didn’t know.

Jorge Hernandez, 42, a automotive firm government from Barcelona, believes Spain needed to act.

“The USA and Britain are doing nothing however the killing on each side goes on. Different international locations should do one thing. I don’t know if recognising Palestine will make any distinction, however we now have to place some stress so the preventing stops,” he advised Al Jazeera.

However for Spain’s small Jewish inhabitants, estimated to quantity about 50,000, some say the environment has worsened since October 7.

On that day, Hamas led an incursion into southern Israel, throughout which 1,139 folks had been killed and 250 had been taken captive, that sharply escalated the historic Israel-Palestine battle.

Israel’s onslaught of Gaza since, by far its deadliest conflict on the besieged enclave, has killed greater than 36,000 Palestinians thus far, based on well being officers.

Israel’s justification for its navy marketing campaign of crushing Hamas stays elusive.

Ruth Timon, 57, a Jewish lawyer from Madrid, says she avoids conversations about Gaza in case they blow up right into a row.

She stated her son has confronted verbal abuse on the Madrid college the place he’s a pupil.

She believes that Sanchez’s resolution to recognise Palestine was motivated by home political elements.

Spain’s left-wing coalition authorities relies on smaller regional events for a majority however has did not cross this 12 months’s price range and different legal guidelines.

“Politically in Spain we’re in a sophisticated scenario. No legal guidelines have been handed. The federal government can not do something, so it issues itself with worldwide politics,” Timon advised Al Jazeera.

“Sanchez is specializing in Palestine and Ukraine forward of the European elections. [His] Socialist occasion, I believe, believes supporting Palestine could deliver help within the European elections.”