The Israeli Embassy in Spain has expressed concern over the annual conference of the Palestinian movement Basar Badil in Madrid, which concluded with a demonstration in the streets of the Spanish capital to celebrate the “brutal massacre of 7-O” last year. The Embassy’s message on social media stated that it is unacceptable for Spain to become a haven for sowing hatred and inciting the destruction of Israel. Israeli diplomatic sources have criticized the Spanish government for allowing this group, which they associate with terrorism, to hold its annual international congress in Spain.
During the conference in Madrid, the Basar Badil movement rejected the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and advocated for the dismantling of the Zionist entity in all of Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. The conference also featured the international network in support of Palestinian prisoners, Samidoun, which has been outlawed in Germany and is accused by Israel of being an extension of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), designated as a terrorist organization by the EU. Nearly 500 people participated in the demonstration in Madrid, where chants against the EU, President Joe Biden, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were heard.
The Basar Badil movement, linked to terrorist groups like the PFLP and Samidoun, chose Madrid as the location for its annual international congress and the demonstration to commemorate the brutal massacre of 7-O. While the Israeli Embassy did not comment on the nearly 40 protests held across Spain over the weekend by the Solidarity Network against the Occupation of Palestine and other organizations, the demonstrations called for an end to the genocide in Palestine and an arms trade with Israel. In Madrid, around 5,000 people participated in the march on Saturday, while thousands marched in Barcelona, Valencia, and Malaga on Sunday.
Israel has not had an ambassador in Madrid since May 22 when Tel Aviv recalled its diplomatic representatives in Spain, Ireland, and Norway in protest of these European countries recognizing the State of Palestine. In Barcelona, the MEP for Comuns, Jaume Asens, called on the government to impose a total embargo on the sale of arms to Israel, while in Andalusia, the coordinator of United Left and Sumar MP Toni Valero denounced Netanyahu’s intentions to bring the Middle East into total war. The demonstrations in Spain reflect the deep divide and controversy surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the international community’s response to the situation.
