Israel summons Spanish diplomat over minister’s ‘From the River to the Sea’ remarks

Israel summoned Spain’s chargé d’affaires on Monday after Spanish Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego expressed support for a “free Palestine from the river to the sea,” prompting a new diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Rego made the remarks on 24th September at an event in Madrid introducing the Palestinian ambassador to Spain, Fadi Elhusseini. She said Spanish society’s position was clear in supporting “a free Palestine from the river to the sea.”

The minister also defended Spain’s policies toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the country had not “chosen the wrong side” by supporting Palestinian rights. She cited Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state and other measures adopted by the government.

Rego has separately called for stronger measures against Israel, including severing diplomatic and commercial relations and suspending the European Union-Israel Association Agreement. She has also accused the Israeli government of committing genocide in Gaza.

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Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned Francisca Pedrós, Spain’s chargé d’affaires in Tel Aviv, for a formal reprimand over Rego’s remarks. Pedrós is currently Spain’s highest-ranking diplomat in Israel.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Rego’s statement formed part of what it described as a “systematic anti-Israel policy” pursued by the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Israeli officials argued that the phrase “from the river to the sea” amounted to support for eliminating the State of Israel.

Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Spain, Dana Erlich, separately accused Rego of antisemitism and said the slogan denied Israel’s right to exist. Rego’s remarks themselves framed the phrase as support for Palestinian freedom and self-determination.

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