Israel has recalled its ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, for consultations in Jerusalem, after the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, questioned whether Israel was acting in accordance with international humanitarian law in Gaza. This was announced by the Israeli foreign minister, Eli Cohen, who, in a social media post on X, called the Spanish PM's words "outrageous" and explained that he is recalling the country's Madrid ambassador for consultations, which implies withdrawing its diplomatic representation. This decision comes after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu also ordered the Spanish ambassador to Israel, Ana Salomón Pérez, to be summoned to receive a "reprimand".
Cohen insisted that Sánchez's claims, which he made this Thursday in an interview with Spanish public broadcaster TVE, are "baseless". "Israel is acting and will continue to act, according to international law, and will continue the war until all hostages are returned and Hamas is eliminated from Gaza," warned the foreign minister. Furthermore, he pointed to Hamas as the only entity "responsible" for the current situation in the Gaza Strip.
Following the outrageous remarks by the Spanish Prime Minister, who once again repeated baseless accusations, I decided to recall our ambassador to Spain for consultations in Jerusalem.
— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) November 30, 2023
Israel is acting, and will continue to act, according to international law, and will continue…
This very Thursday morning, Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares met with Cohen in Skopje, in North Macedonia, in the context of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), of which Israel is a Mediterranean Partner for Co-operation. Albares conveyed his government's wish to "maintain good relations" and invited his interlocutor to visit Madrid. "I once again expressed our solidarity with the victims and that Israel has the right to defend itself against a terrorist attack, but within international humanitarian law and the agreements on protection of civilians," he said.
However, also this morning, the Spanish prime minister was asked about the controversy with Israel on TVE. "Countries who are friends also have to say things to each other, don't they? We have said from the start that what Hamas did is absolutely atrocious," said Pedro Sánchez. But, he noted, "with the images we are seeing and the increasing numbers who are dying, especially boys and girls, I have serious doubts that [Israel] is complying with international humanitarian law."
The diplomatic crisis between Spain and Israel began last week, following Sánchez's visit to the Jewish state and the conflict zone, accompanied by Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo. At a press conference in Rafah, on the border between Egypt and Gaza, the two European leaders criticized the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza. Their comments were praised by Hamas, which thanked Sánchez and De Croo for their "clear, bold stance".