Spain officially dismisses its ambassador in Tel Aviv and lowers its diplomatic representation level

Press sources, quoting the official gazette in Spain, reported that the government in Madrid has taken an official decision to dismiss its ambassador to Tel Aviv from her duties. This move came after a meeting of the Spanish Council of Ministers, where it was decided to permanently reduce the level of diplomatic representation in Israel, to be limited to a chargé d'affaires only instead of an ambassador extraordinary.

This Spanish step comes as a reciprocal measure, as Israel had previously initiated lowering its representation in Madrid to the level of chargé d'affaires since May 2024. This diplomatic deterioration reflects the depth of the gap between the two countries, especially after Spain's official recognition of the State of Palestine, a decision that sparked widespread anger in Israeli political circles and led to the recall of ambassadors.

Historically, relations between Madrid and Tel Aviv have been characterized by extreme sensitivity, as Spanish recognition of Israel was delayed until the mid-1980s. Despite the signing of multiple cooperation agreements in subsequent decades, the Spanish position continued to criticize violations against the Palestinian people, making the relationship prone to recurring crises when field events escalated.

The tension between the two parties reached unprecedented levels as a result of Spain's strict stance rejecting what Madrid described as a 'genocidal war' in the Gaza Strip. The Spanish government did not limit itself to political statements but imposed sanctions and measures aimed at pressuring for a halt to military operations, which Tel Aviv considered a hostile stance that necessitated harsh diplomatic responses.

Madrid had recalled its ambassador from Israel last week for consultations, before the recall turned into an official dismissal from the post today. The Spanish government affirms that these measures are part of its efforts to put an end to humanitarian violations in Gaza, emphasizing the necessity of adhering to international laws that ensure the protection of civilians in conflict zones.

The decision means that Spain has officially withdrawn its head of diplomatic mission and lowered the level of representation to a chargé d'affaires, in a similar move to what Israel is doing.