Israel Summons Spanish Envoy Over Minister's 'Palestine State' Remarks

Israel's Foreign Ministry summoned Spain's charge d'affaires on September 28 to issue a reprimand following statements by Spanish Minister for Youth Affairs Sira Rego. Rego publicly expressed support for the creation of a Palestinian state "from the river to the sea," a slogan Israel interprets as a call for its destruction.

The summons was carried out by Gilad Cohen, head of the ministry's Political-Strategic Affairs Directorate. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Rego's remarks are part of a systematic policy by the Spanish government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Rego had previously refused to condemn the October 7th attacks, leading to a ban on her entry into Israel in September 2025.

Israeli officials criticized the Spanish government for consistently criticizing Israel's self-defense efforts against threats from Iran and Hamas while ignoring Israel's security needs. The Foreign Ministry accused the Spanish cabinet of losing its moral compass, shifting its focus from supporting the fight against terrorism to making Israel a primary target of international criticism and joining campaigns questioning the Jewish state's existence.