Israel Summons Spanish Envoy Over Minister's 'River to the Sea' Remark

Israel summoned Spain's acting charge d'affaires to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to protest remarks made by Spanish Youth Minister Sira Rego. The protest, ordered by Israeli Foreign Minister G Gideon Saar, was prompted by Rego's statement that Spanish society supports the creation of a Palestinian state "from the river to the sea." This slogan is widely interpreted as calling for the elimination of the State of Israel.

Israeli officials view Rego's statement not as a personal opinion but as reflective of the current Spanish government's official stance. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Madrid is pursuing a systematic anti-Israel policy, particularly as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has openly criticized Israel's right to self-defense against Iran and Hamas. The ministry further asserted that the Spanish government, instead of supporting the fight against terrorism, has become part of a campaign against the existence of the Jewish state.

This is not the first diplomatic incident between the two countries, with relations between Madrid and Jerusalem reportedly strained for some time. Sira Rego has been a figure in past Israeli-Spanish disputes; she did not condemn the October 7 Hamas attack and was banned from entering Israel in September 2025.