Spain mulls diplomatic action after Israel vows to forbid Spanish consulate from serving Palestinians

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spain’s foreign minister on Friday said he will take diplomatic action if Israel prevents the Spanish consulate in occupied East Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians.

In an interview with broadcaster RAC1, Jose Manuel Albares said he was still analyzing the exact consequences of a recent social media post from his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz.

“I have decided to sever the connection between Spain's representation in Israel and the Palestinians, and to prohibit the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians from the West Bank,” posted Katz on X, saying it was in retaliation to Spain’s deputy prime minister saying: “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.”

In the interview, Albares said that if the post is to be taken at face value, Spain will take diplomatic action in response, which could range from a verbal warning to summoning the ambassador.

Albares said he would also consult the move with the Irish and Norwegian governments.

This week, Spain, Ireland, and Norway announced they will formally recognize Palestinian statehood next Tuesday.

In retaliation, Israel summoned the nations’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv, filming and broadcasting the three diplomats as they were forced to watch violent footage from the Oct. 7 attacks.

Albares said he also condemns filming the ambassador, something that he said is outside of the Vienna Convention. He added that the Irish and Norwegian governments were thinking along the same lines.

Albares also responded to Katz calling Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Yoland Diaz “ignorant and hate-filled” for her use of the popular slogan for Palestinian liberation.

“In the Spanish government, there are no antisemites. The Spanish government is tolerant, plural, diverse and does not accept any discourse of hate,” he told RAC1.

He added that Spain’s decision to recognize Palestine does not go against Israel, but instead comes from a belief that a Palestinian state is the best way to guarantee Israel’s security.

“What we need to be talking about from here to May 28 (when Spain will recognize Palestine) is the recognition of Palestine, the humanitarian crisis, and how to implement the two-state solution,” said Albares.