MADRID: Spain will probe “human rights violations in Gaza” to assist the International Criminal Court, which has sought arrest warrants for top Israeli officials over alleged war crimes, the attorney general said Thursday.
The announcement marks another step by Spain, a virulent critic of the devastating Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territory, to lead international action over the conflict, sparked by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel in 2023.
Spain’s top prosecutor, Alvaro Garcia Ortiz, has “issued a decree to create a working team tasked with investigating violations of international human rights law in Gaza,” his office said in a statement.
The investigative team’s mission will be to “gather evidence and make it available to the competent body, thereby fulfilling Spain’s obligations regarding international cooperation and human rights,” it said.
“Faced with the current situation in the Palestinian territories, all evidence, direct or indirect, that can be gathered in our country” on “crimes committed” in Gaza “must be included” for potential use in the ICC case, it added in the decree.
The statement mentioned a Spanish police report which recorded “acts that could constitute crimes against the international community” perpetrated by the Israeli army in Gaza.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
Spain has also joined a case before another world court, the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Both Hague-based courts have faced fierce criticism from Israel and its allies over the cases.
In February, the United States slapped sanctions on the ICC, saying it had “abused its power” with the Netanyahu arrest warrant.
Israel has challenged the 125-member state ICC’s jurisdiction in the case.
Spanish-Israeli relations have soured over the conflict, with Israel withdrawing its ambassador to Madrid last year after Spain recognized a Palestinian state.
Last week, Spain recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv after Israel’s foreign minister accused the government of antisemitism.
The row followed measures announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez which he said aimed to “stop the genocide in Gaza.”
Spain says will probe ‘rights violations in Gaza’
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Spain says will probe ‘rights violations in Gaza’
- Spain’s top prosecutor, Alvaro Garcia Ortiz, has “issued a decree to create a working team tasked with investigating violations of international human rights law in Gaza,” his office said in a statement
- The announcement marks another step by Spain, a virulent critic of the devastating Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territory, to lead international action over the conflict
Spain cites Israeli ‘insults’ in decision to withdraw ambassador
- With the ambassador’s removal, Spain’s diplomatic representation will now be handled by its charge d’affaires
- “It’s become clear that Spain’s goodwill in maintaining cordial relations hasn’t been reciprocated,” Albares said
MADRID: Spain on Thursday explained its decision to permanently withdraw its ambassador to Israel, citing repeated “insults and slanders” by the country.
Veteran diplomat Ana Maria Salomon Perez was officially relieved of her duties on Tuesday at the proposal of Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.
She was recalled from Tel Aviv in September after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unveiled measures designed to “stop the genocide in Gaza, pursue its perpetrators and support the Palestinian population.”
With the ambassador’s removal, Spain’s diplomatic representation will now be handled by its charge d’affaires, a lower-ranking official whose status is meant to reflect the downgraded relations.
Israel withdrew its ambassador to Madrid in 2024 after Spain recognized Palestinian statehood and has since also been represented by a charge d’affaires.
“It’s become clear that Spain’s goodwill in maintaining cordial relations hasn’t been reciprocated — not diplomatically — through an increase in Israel’s representation in Spain, nor by restraining insults and slanders aimed at the Spanish people,” Albares said.
“As a result, keeping an ambassador who had been called back for consultations for six months no longer made sense,” he added during an interview with Spanish public television.
Spain’s decision to definitively retire the ambassador follows years of tense exchanges between the two governments.
Sanchez, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s war on Gaza, has also opposed the US-Israeli military strikes on Iran that began on February 28.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sarr has accused the Spanish government of “standing with tyrants” by opposing the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
He also accused Spain of being “complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes” after it recognized a Palestinian state.
Spain only established diplomatic ties with Israel in 1986 following the death of dictator General Francisco Franco in 1975.
Under Franco, Spain avoided recognizing Israel and maintained closer diplomatic ties with Arab states.
