Israel summons Spanish diplomat after minister's Palestinian remarks

Israel's Foreign Ministry summoned Spain's chargé d’affaires, Francisca Pedrós, on Monday to issue a formal reprimand following controversial remarks by Spanish Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego.

During an event in Madrid, Rego stated that Spanish society supports a Palestinian state ‘from the river to the sea.’ The Israeli government characterized the slogan as an endorsement of the elimination of the State of Israel and accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration of pursuing a ‘systematic anti-Israel policy.’

The diplomatic friction follows previous escalations, including Spain's recognition of a Palestinian state and arms sale measures. Israeli officials also noted Rego's refusal to condemn the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. In a related development, Israel's chargé d’affaires in Spain, Dana Erlich, accused Rego of antisemitism following the comments.