In a significant escalation of diplomatic tensions, Spain has formally withdrawn its ambassador to Israel indefinitely. The Official State Gazette confirmed on Wednesday that Ambassador Ana Maria Salomon Perez has been recalled from Tel Aviv, with the Spanish embassy now to be led by a charge d’affaires—mirroring the level of diplomatic representation maintained by Israel in Madrid.
This decisive action represents the latest development in a deteriorating relationship between the two nations that has intensified since Israel’s military operations in Gaza commenced in October 2023. Under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s leadership, Spain has emerged as Europe’s most vocal critic of Israel’s conduct, which Madrid has consistently characterized as genocide.
The diplomatic rift has deepened through several consequential moves by Spain. In 2024, Spain extended formal recognition to Palestinian statehood, prompting Israel to recall its ambassador from Madrid. The following year, Spain implemented restrictions prohibiting ships and aircraft transporting weapons to Israel from utilizing Spanish ports or airspace.
Tensions further escalated when Sanchez openly rejected US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ proposal for Gaza in January, denouncing the plan as contrary to international law and criticizing its exclusion of the Palestinian Authority.
The current diplomatic crisis has been compounded by recent disagreements over the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. Sanchez has vehemently criticized the operation as illegal and refused American requests to utilize jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for operations connected to strikes on Iran.
This refusal triggered a public confrontation with President Trump, who accused Spain of adopting an ‘unfriendly’ posture and threatened trade repercussions. In a televised address on March 4th, Sanchez defended Spain’s position with a simple declaration: ‘No to war.’
The Spanish leader articulated a principled stance grounded in historical awareness and international legal frameworks. ‘One illegality cannot be met with another, because that is how humanity’s great disasters begin,’ Sanchez stated. ‘We must learn from history and cannot play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions of people.’
Sanchez emphasized Spain’s commitment to ‘the founding principles of the European Union, the Charter of the United Nations, and international law,’ positioning the nation as a defender of peaceful coexistence between countries amid escalating global tensions.