In a sign of the bad state of relations between Spain and Israel, Madrid on Wednesday permanently withdrew its ambassador to Tel Aviv.
The diplomatic downgrade comes after years of tense exchanges between both governments. Spain has been a leading critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military operations in Gaza and, this month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez blasted Israel for joining the U.S. in its “illegitimate” attack on Iran.
Madrid recalled its ambassador to Tel Aviv, veteran diplomat Ana María Salomón Pérez, last September, after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Sánchez’s government of inciting a “pro-Palestinian mob” and banned Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz and Minister of Youth Sira Rego from entering the country.
The decision to definitively retire the ambassador is a highly symbolic move that underscores the degradation of ties between the two countries. With the ambassador’s removal, Spain’s diplomatic representation will now be handled by its chargé d’affaires, a lower-ranking official whose status is meant to reflect the downgraded relations.
Madrid established diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv in 1986, and the two countries enjoyed good relations until the outbreak of the war in Gaza in 2023. Since then, Sánchez has repeatedly demanded Israel respect international law, while Netanyahu’s government has accused the Spanish prime minister of waging an “anti-Israeli” campaign in a bid to distract the domestic public from corruption scandals at home. Israel recalled its ambassador to Madrid in May 2024, shortly after Spain announced its intention to recognize the state of Palestine.
