Israel stops Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem serving Palestinians in West Bank

Israel today severed ties between the Spanish Consulate in occupied East Jerusalem and Palestinians from the occupied West Bank.

In a statement, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that “in response to Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state and the anti-Semitic call by Spain’s deputy prime minister to not just recognise a Palestinian state but to ‘liberate Palestine from the river to the sea,’ I have decided to sever the connection between Spain’s representation in Israel and the Palestinians.”

Katz added that he has also decided to “prohibit the Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians from the West Bank.”

“If this ignorant, hate-filled individual wants to understand what radical Islam truly seeks, she should study the 700 years of Islamic rule in Al-Andalus – today’s Spain,” he added.

This comes after Spain announced on Wednesday that it would recognise the State of Palestine from 28 May and remarks by the Spanish deputy prime minister, who called for the “liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea.”

Deputy Premier Yolanda Diaz’s comments came yesterday at the end of a social media video where she explained Spain’s move to recognise Palestinian statehood is just the beginning.

Israel’s Lapid: Recognition of Palestinian state ‘unprecedented political failure’

This is the first time Israel has sought to punish countries who recognise the State of Palestine.

Spain, Norway and Ireland announced on Wednesday their decision to recognise the State of Palestine.

The recognition comes as Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip in which it has killed more than 35,800 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom have been women and children.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.