Israel Summons Spanish Diplomat Over Minister's 'River to Sea' Remark

Spain's Chargé d'Affaires in Israel, Francisca Pedrós, was summoned to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on Monday, September 28, for a reprimand. The head of the Political-Strategic Directorate, Gilad Cohen, initiated the summons in response to a statement by Spanish Minister for Children and Youth, Sira Rego, who said the "Spanish public supports the creation of a Palestinian state from the river to the sea." This slogan is often interpreted as a denial of Israel's existence.

According to Ynet commentator Itamar Eichner, Rego's statement reflects a broader anti-Israel stance by the Spanish government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Rego, who has Palestinian roots, previously referred to the October 7th Hamas attacks as "legitimate resistance to occupation." Spain had previously recalled its ambassador to Israel, Ana Salomon, in May and has not replaced her, lowering diplomatic relations to the level of chargés d'affaires.

Rego's rhetoric has become a hallmark of her political image. Born in Valencia in 1973, she grew up near Jerusalem, where her Palestinian father still resides. On October 7th, she posted on social media platform X, stating, "Palestine has the right to resist after decades of occupation, apartheid, and exile." She criticized the "collective punishment" of Gaza and called for an end to the occupation. Rego was among a small group of European Parliament members who refused to condemn the Hamas massacre and has accused Israel of "genocide."

Further demonstrating her stance, Rego met with the Palestinian Ambassador to Spain on October 10, 2023, expressing full support for the actions of the "terrorists." Her social media accounts frequently feature anti-Israel posts and statements supporting "Palestinian resistance," which the article describes as hateful content.