Israeli Overseas Minister Katz informed Spain that its consulate in Jerusalem won’t be allowed to assist Palestinians.
On the similar time, the EU’s international coverage chief Josep Borrell, a Spaniard, threw his full weight to assist the Worldwide Felony Court docket, whose prosecutor is searching for an arrest warrant towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, together with the leaders of Hamas.
“The prosecutor of the court has been strongly intimidated and accused of antisemitism,” Borrell stated. “The word antisemitic, it’s too heavy. It’s too important.”
Indignant phrases abounded Monday, with Katz accusing Spain of “rewarding terror” by recognizing a Palestinian state, and saying that “the days of the Inquisition are over.” He referred to the notorious Spanish establishment began within the fifteenth century to take care of Roman Catholic orthodoxy that compelled Jews and Muslims to flee, convert to Catholicism or, in some cases, face demise.
“No one will force us to convert our religion or threaten our existence — those who harm us, we will harm in return,” stated Katz.
Despite the fact that the EU and its member nations have been steadfast in condemning the Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault wherein militants stormed throughout the Gaza border into Israel, killing 1,200 individuals and taking some 250 hostage, the bloc has been equally crucial of Israel’s ensuing offensive that has killed greater than 35,000 Palestinians, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The most recent assaults have centered on Rafah, the place Palestinian well being employees stated Israeli airstrikes killed at the very least 35 individuals Sunday, hit tents for displaced individuals and left “numerous” others trapped in flaming particles.
The U.N.’s prime courtroom, the Worldwide Court docket of Justice, on Friday demanded that Israel instantly halt its offensive on Rafah, even when it stopped in need of ordering a cease-fire for the Gaza enclave.
“Israel has to stop its offensive in Rafah,” Spanish Overseas Minister José Manuel Albares stated.
Spain, Eire and non-EU member Norway plan to make official their recognition of a Palestinian state on Tuesday. Their joint announcement final week triggered an offended response from Israeli authorities, which summoned the nations’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv to the Israeli Overseas Ministry, the place they had been filmed whereas being proven movies of the Oct. 7 Hamas assault and kidnapping.
Albares criticized the therapy of the ambassadors. “We reject something that is not within diplomatic courtesy and the customs of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” he stated.
“But at the same time we have also agreed that we are not going to fall into any provocation that distances us from our goal,” he added. “Our aim is to recognize the state of Palestine tomorrow, make all possible efforts to achieve a permanent cease-fire as soon as possible and also, in the end, to achieve that definitive peace.”
