QAlmost a week after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his decision to recognize the State of Palestine from May 28, tension with Israel remains hotter than ever. This Monday, the Israeli government warned Madrid that “the times of the Inquisition are over” and that the country “will harm” anyone who harms it.

“The days of the Inquisition are over. Today, the Jewish people have a sovereign and independent State and no one will force us to convert our religion or threaten our existence: we will harm anyone who harms us”said the Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a statement announcing that he had ordered the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem ends its services to Palestinians from June 1st.

On the social network X (formerly Twitter), Katz defended that Israel “will not remain silent in the face of a government that rewards terrorism and whose leaders, Pedro Sánchez and Yolanda Díaz, chant the anti-Semitic slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'”.

“Those who reward Hamas and try to create a Palestinian terrorist state will have no contact with the Palestinians,” he added.

In another publication, the minister argued that “the Israeli people and the Spanish people are friendly people”, but they are being separated by the rulers. “We will not allow you to separate us, neither you Pedro Sánchez and Yolanda Díaz, nor the members of your government”he reiterated.

Last week, Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labor and number three in the Spanish government, was criticized by Israel for having stated that “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea”a phrase linked to Palestinian nationalism, which does not recognize the State of Israel.

“Today we celebrate that Spain has recognized the Palestinian State (…). We cannot stop. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea”, said Díaz in a video posted on social media.

At the time, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered it “a shame that the deputy prime minister of Spain has openly called for the destruction of Israel”.

On Sunday, Katz shared a video montage on social media, showing two people dancing flamenco, followed by images allegedly captured by militiamen from the Islamist movement Hamas during the attack on October 7, 2023.

The video is accompanied by a message in the center, which reads “Hamas: Gracias España”, alluding to the idea that Spain’s recognition of the State of Palestine would benefit the movement considered terrorism.

The publication of the video was criticized by Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who classified it as “scandalous and execrable”.

“I saw the video, even before traveling to Brussels […], is scandalous and execrable. The entire planet knows, including my Israeli colleague, that we condemn Hamas and its actions.”said José Manuel Albares, at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa, in Brussels (Belgium).

It should be noted that Palestine is currently recognized by 143 countries and tomorrow, Tuesday, Spain, Ireland and Norway will move forward with recognition.

Read Also: Portugal wants “systematic support” for the Palestinian Authority

Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2569565/tensao-entre-israel-e-espanha-adensa-se-os-dias-da-inquisicao-acabaram

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