The prime Spanish diplomat rejected claims made by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, alleging that his nation has turn out to be a “paradise” for anti-Semitism.
Speaking to public broadcaster RTVE, Jose Manuel Albares stated the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s remarks are “out of place.”
“Spain is a country of tolerance, where one has freedom of expression, and any form of incitement to hatred, of course including anti-Semitism, is not only widely rejected, but is in the Penal Code,” Albares stated.
“If someone believes that any crime of incitement to hatred or anti-Semitism has been committed, they can contact the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” he stated, underlining that Madrid “has a plan against anti-Semitism.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry launched a press release over the weekend expressing outrage over Spain’s response to pro-Palestine demonstrations within the capital Madrid on Sunday organized by teams together with the Masar Badil Movement, which Israel regards as being linked to Hamas.
“We are outraged and saddened that Spain has become a paradise for sowing hatred and inciting the destruction of Israel,” the ministry stated. “It is unacceptable {that a} democratic society permits the apology of terrorism and the celebration of crimes towards humanity perpetrated by Hamas.”
Albares reiterated that Spain rejects the “brutal terrorist attack by Hamas” on Oct. 7, 2023, and has once more known as for this horrible conflict to finish.”
He additionally condemned Israel’s actions since then, together with “bombing civilian infrastructure, be it hospitals, places of worship, or U.N. headquarters; failing to distinguish between the fight against terrorism and the bombing of civilians; (and) deliberately not allowing humanitarian aid to reach civilians.”
“Clearly, we have condemned it, and we condemn it again,” he added.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an assault by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 final 12 months, regardless of a UN Security Council decision calling for an instantaneous cease-fire.
Nearly 42,000 individuals have since been killed, principally ladies and kids, and over 97,100 others injured, based on native well being authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced nearly all the inhabitants of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to extreme shortages of meals, clear water and medication.
Mediation efforts led by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to achieve a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap settlement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the conflict.
Israel faces a genocide case on the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Source: www.dailysabah.com