Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Spain on Friday of conducting a diplomatic campaign against Israel after Madrid was excluded from participating in a US-led coordination centre aimed at stabilizing post-war Gaza. The move marks a significant deterioration in relations between the two countries, which have worsened since Spain recognized a Palestinian state earlier in 2024. Both nations have since withdrawn their ambassadors.
Netanyahu announced in a video statement that he had ordered the removal of Spanish representatives from the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat. He criticized Spain for repeatedly opposing Israel, stating that those who attack Israel rather than confronting terrorist regimes would not be partners in shaping the region’s future.
The CMCC, established after the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 10, is a US-led initiative designed to monitor the truce and facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza. The centre includes military and diplomatic personnel from countries such as France, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates, all working on security and humanitarian issues in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. Spain had been participating until Israel’s foreign ministry announced its exclusion earlier on Friday.
Netanyahu emphasized that Israel would not tolerate attacks against it and vowed to impose immediate consequences on any country waging a diplomatic campaign against Israel. This statement directly referenced the decision to bar Spain from the CMCC.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been a prominent critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He also opposed the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sarr previously accused Spain of siding with tyrants by opposing these attacks and charged Spain with complicity in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes after recognizing a Palestinian state.
In response to Israel’s decision, two far-left Spanish government ministers voiced strong criticism. Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz posted Netanyahu’s video on the social platform Bluesky, declaring support for hostility against what she called war criminals and perpetrators of genocide. Youth Minister Sira Rego also condemned Israel as a genocidal and criminal regime, warning it would face the International Criminal Court. Both ministers had been barred from entering Israel since September.
Diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel were only established in 1986, following the death of dictator General Francisco Franco in 1975. During Franco’s rule, Spain refrained from recognizing Israel and maintained closer ties with Arab nations.
