Israeli Diplomat Condemns Spanish Minister’s “From the River to the Sea” Remarks
Israel’s acting ambassador to Spain, Dana Erlich, has accused Spanish Youth and Children’s Minister Sira Rego of antisemitism following comments she made at a public conference in Madrid. Speaking alongside Palestinian Ambassador to Spain Fadi Elhusseini, Rego called for a “free Palestine from the river to the sea” and accused the Israeli government of genocide in its war against Hamas.
The slogan “from the river to the sea” remains deeply contested. Supporters of the Palestinian cause use it in different ways, including as a call for Palestinian freedom and self-determination, while many Israeli officials and Jewish organizations interpret it as a call for the elimination of Israel because it refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Rego’s remarks therefore drew a strong response from Israel.
During the event, Rego also called for Spain to sever diplomatic and commercial relations with Israel and urged the European Union to suspend its association agreement with the country. She further called on Madrid to comply with the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Erlich strongly criticized the minister’s statements and argued that such rhetoric from a senior government official could contribute to an increasingly hostile environment for Israelis and Jews in Spain. In a post on X, Erlich wrote: “Spain is not antisemitic — but this minister is.”
The dispute comes amid increasingly strained relations between the Spanish government and Israel. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and has used terms including “war crimes” and “genocide” when describing Israel’s actions. Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun has also supported measures targeting cultural cooperation with Israel, including calls for restrictions on Israeli participation in cultural events.
The Spanish government’s position has generated strong criticism from Israeli officials, who argue that Spain’s rhetoric and policies risk encouraging hostility toward Israel and Jewish communities. Spanish officials, however, have presented their position as opposition to the conduct of the war in Gaza and support for Palestinian rights and statehood.
The controversy over Rego’s remarks highlights the broader diplomatic divide between Madrid and Jerusalem. While Spain has taken a strong position in favor of Palestinian statehood and increased pressure on Israel, Israeli officials continue to argue that some of the language used by Spanish politicians crosses into hostility toward Israel and antisemitism. The disagreement remains part of a wider European debate over how governments should respond to the Gaza conflict, Palestinian statehood, Israel’s security, and the protection of Jewish communities from antisemitism.
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