Madrid, Spain – Israel and Spain are embroiled in a diplomatic row after some Spanish ministers were accused by Israel of siding with Hamas in the Middle East conflict, a claim rejected by Madrid.
The dispute arose after left-wing Spanish politicians of the coalition government accused Israel of engaging in the “genocide” of the Palestinian people.
Ione Belarra, the social rights minister who is also the leader of the Unidos Podemos, the far-left junior partner in Spain’s coalition government, has posted several times on social media in support of Palestine while criticising the Israeli occupation.
On Monday, she called on Spain to bring Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
Spain’s equality minister, Irene Montero, echoed this appeal, saying the same call was made “a few weeks ago in the case of the [Spanish] aid worker murdered in the war in Ukraine”.
Montero has also posted on social media, declaring: “Violations of international criminal law and war crimes cannot go unpunished. Defending peace and human rights is today the most urgent task of all.”
The Israeli Embassy in Madrid said in a statement issued on Monday that some Spanish ministers, who were not named, were siding with the Palestinian group Hamas, which more than a week ago launched a deadly offensive in Israel that took the world by surprise and set off a major new war.
The embassy said that it was “deeply worrying” that “certain elements within the Spanish government have opted to align themselves with this terrorism of ISIS type”.
Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have repeatedly said that “Hamas is ISIS” since the group’s October 7 attacks. The Israeli army also claimed an ISIS flag was found at the site of an assault.
Since Hamas’s incursion, during which the group is accused of killing hundreds of civilians and capturing several others, Israel has blockaded and bombarded the Gaza Strip, the besieged enclave ruled by the Palestinian group.
Hamas has denied intentionally killing civilians, but acknowledged “collateral damage” was possible. It has also admitted to taking several Israelis hostage.
Source: Al Jazeera
