Spain

Netanyahu accuses Spain of waging a diplomatic war against Israel: "I will not allow it"​

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the exclusion of Spain from the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC).

This organization, located in the city of Kiryat Gat under the leadership of the United States, is essential for overseeing the ceasefire, stabilization, and entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip within the framework of President Donald Trump's peace plan.

Netanyahu justified this drastic measure by stating that he is not willing to tolerate the "hypocrisy" or "hostility" of nations waging a "diplomatic war" against Israel without paying an immediate price. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar went further by describing the position of the Pedro Sánchez government as a "blatant anti-Israeli obsession", stating that Spain has lost all usefulness as a partner for peace. According to Sa'ar, Sánchez's cabinet has spread "blood libels" against the Israeli army and has unsuccessfully tried to push for sanctions within the European Union.

Tensions have reached a point of no return following the announcement of the reopening of the Spanish embassy in Tehran, a decision that Israel labeled as an "eternal shame." In this regard, Israeli authorities recalled with indignation the dissemination of images of Iranian missiles with stickers of Sánchez's face, interpreted as a gesture of gratitude from Iran for Spain's opposition to the Israeli-American offensive.

From Madrid, Minister José Manuel Albares has rejected these accusations, arguing that the use of all diplomatic channels is necessary to promote peace. Sánchez and Albares have repeatedly condemned what they consider an "illegal war" in Iran and Lebanon, with Spain even vetoing the use of its military bases for coalition operations. This confrontation adds to a long list of disagreements, including Spain's recognition of the Palestinian state in May 2024 and the recent mutual withdrawal of ambassadors. With this expulsion, Spain is marginalized from one of the most relevant decision-making forums for the region.

The plot thickens:

Spain pushes China to assume global leadership role​

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday pushed China to embrace a larger role on the world stage as Europe increasingly turns to Beijing amid growing tensions with the United States.

Sanchez’s speech at Beijing’s Tsinghua University follows recent moves from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and others to tighten ties with China after the Trump administration redefined its relationship with Europe, leading many allies to question Washington’s commitment to long-standing alliances.

On the day before he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sanchez pushed back against the notion that Europe holds little value and called on China to help fill what he described as a new power vacuum left by the U.S.

“Europe may seem small on a map. But its weight is decisive, and its unity is a guarantee of stability and prosperity in the world, a world that cannot be understood without China,” Sanchez said. “We are called upon to understand one another and to cooperate.”

"Europe ⁠will also have to redouble its efforts, especially now that the United States has decided to withdraw from many of these fronts,” he added.

Sanchez asked Xi to ramp up involvement in the Iran war, as many European countries question the U.S.’s handling of the conflict. Sanchez has closed Spain’s airspace to U.S. planes being used in Iran, and refused to allow the Pentagon to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain. Beijing was already involved in pressing Iran to make a two-week ceasefire deal with the U.S. that was reached last week, and it has been rumored to be helping the regime rearm before the truce ends.