Spain confronts Israel over Gaza genocide as Netanyahu lashes out with 'Inquisition' attack

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez’s comment about lacking nuclear weapons triggers, sanctions, and a boycott of the Barcelona Mobile World Congress

12.09.2025

By The New Arab Staff

Source:https://www.newarab.com/news/spain-defies-israel-gaza-genocide-netanyahu-attacks-sanchez

A diplomatic row between Spain and Israel has intensified after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused his Spanish counterpart of making a "blatant genocidal threat" and likened him to the Spanish Inquisition.

The dispute erupted after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this week that Spain had lacked the means to halt Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza because it does not have "nuclear bombs, aircraft carriers, or large oil reserves".

Netanyahu's office accused Spain of calling for the "annihilation of the Jewish state", which La Moncloa has denied.

"Spanish PM Sánchez said… that Spain can’t stop Israel’s battle against Hamas... because 'Spain does not have nuclear weapons," the statement read. "That’s a blatant genocidal threat on the world’s only Jewish State. Apparently, the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews of Spain and the systematic mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust are not enough for Sánchez. Incredible."

The Spanish government dismissed Netanyahu’s accusations as "false and slanderous". In a statement, Spain’s Foreign Ministry said: "Spain rejects any form of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia or intolerance."

Officials pointed out that Spain has granted nationality to 72,000 Sephardic Jews in recent years under special legislation.

Sánchez’s original comments came during a press event on Monday when he announced a package of nine measures in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. These included a permanent arms embargo, a ban on Israeli settlement imports, and measures barring far-right Israeli ministers from entering Spain.

In a keynote speech, he said: "We alone can’t stop the Israeli offensive. But that doesn’t mean we won’t stop trying, because there are causes worth fighting for, even if winning them isn’t in our sole power."

Following the row, Spain has recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv, while Israel has barred two Spanish ministers, Yolanda Díaz and Sira Rego, from entering the country.

Spain also summoned Israel's chargé d’affaires in Madrid, Dana Erlich, to protest Netanyahu’s remarks.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Communications has ordered a boycott of the Barcelona Mobile World Congress, a major technology expo, accusing Spain of pursuing "anti-Israel policies".

Spain was among the first EU countries to recognise Palestine as a state last year. The European Parliament has since backed calls to suspend trade agreements with Israel and consider sanctions on violent settlers and extremist ministers.

On Thursday, Spain reiterated its support for a two-state solution and called for an "immediate end" to the violence in Gaza. "Israel must allow humanitarian aid into the enclave and respect international law," its foreign ministry said.