Criticism of Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip by members of Spain’s left-wing government has sparked tensions between the two countries.
Madrid rejected as “untruths” accusations by the Israeli embassy that some members of the Spanish government had sided with terrorism by making “shameful statements.”
“The Spanish government categorically rejects the untruths contained in the Israeli embassy’s communiqué about some of its members,” the Foreign Ministry wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
It did not accept “any unfounded insinuations”, it added.
In the earlier statement, the Israeli embassy had said that “Certain members of the Spanish government have chosen to side with this IS-like terrorism.”
Among other things, the embassy spoke of “absolutely immoral statements” that “endanger the security of the Jewish communities in Spain.”
No names were mentioned in the embassy’s statement.
However, Spain’s Minister for Social Rights, Ione Belarra, who had taken part in a pro-Palestine rally in Madrid on Sunday, reiterated her criticism of the offensive on Tuesday.
No one denies the pain caused by the Hamas attack in Israel, “but Israel denies the pain of the Palestinians,” Belarra said.
“We must raise our voices to put an end to this genocide once and for all.”
