Spain on Monday banned ships and planes carrying weapons to Israel from docking at Spanish ports or entering its airspace, citing Israel's military offensive in Gaza, Reuters reported, adding that the measure was condemned as anti-Semitic by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
Spain, which recognized the Palestinian state in May 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israeli moves in the Gaza Strip, responded to Sara's statements by recalling its ambassador to Tel Aviv for consultations.
In addition to banning ships and planes from delivering weapons or military-grade jet fuel to Israel, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government said it would not allow entry to anyone who had directly participated in the "genocide" in Gaza.
Israel has vehemently denied that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide and is currently on trial at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where it faces charges of genocide.
Israel launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, after fighters from Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the territory, attacked Israeli communities, killing 1.200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.
Sarr accused Sanchez of trying to divert attention from domestic corruption scandals with the measures and announced an entry ban for Sanchez's deputy Yolanda Diaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego. Both belong to the radical leftist Sumar party, a junior partner in Sanchez's coalition government.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry described the entry ban imposed by Israel as unacceptable, adding that Sanchez's measures are in line with public sentiment in Spain and reflect Madrid's support for peace, human rights and international law.
The ministry also said that Spain is committed to fighting anti-Semitism, recalling that 72.000 Sephardic Jews – descendants of those expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century – have been granted Spanish citizenship.
In a separate statement, the ministry said Spain strongly condemns the "terrorist act in East Jerusalem" that occurred today, in which Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop, killing six people, including a Spanish citizen living in Israel.
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