Israel and Spain Enter a New Diplomatic Low as Accusations of Antisemitism Intensify

By: Fern Sidman

The already strained relationship between Jerusalem and Madrid has reached a new nadir, with Israel’s acting ambassador to Spain, Dana Erlich, accusing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government of fueling antisemitism through its aggressive anti-Israel rhetoric and punitive policy measures. Her comments, as reported in The Algemeiner on Wednesday underscore how the Gaza war has dramatically altered Spain’s posture toward the Jewish state — and, by extension, how Spain’s Jewish community is now bearing the brunt of the fallout.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 (N12) television, Erlich said she arrived in Madrid aware of the governing coalition’s hostility, but still hopeful for engagement. “I came here without illusions about the current government’s stance or what could be achieved. But I arrived with the belief that all is not lost and that there is still room for dialogue and a diversity of opinions,” she said. Yet, in her estimation, that hope has been repeatedly undermined by what she described as Madrid’s systematic campaign to harm Israel on the global stage.

Since Hamas’ October 7 atrocities, Spain has consistently emerged as one of Europe’s most strident critics of Israel. While other European leaders, such as Germany’s Olaf Scholz, have reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself, Sánchez’s administration has instead advanced a series of policies designed to stigmatize and isolate Jerusalem.

As The Algemeiner has reported, these include an arms embargo, bans on certain Israeli products, restrictions on the use of Spanish ports and airspace for military shipments bound for Israel, and the cancellation of an €700 million ($825 million) contract for Israeli-designed rocket launchers. The Spanish government has gone further still, announcing that individuals allegedly involved in “genocide against Palestinians” would be barred from entering the country.

Erlich called these measures a “fierce anti-Israel campaign aimed at undermining the Jewish state internationally,” and linked them directly to the alarming rise of antisemitic incidents across Spain.

The consequences of Madrid’s rhetoric have not been confined to the diplomatic arena. According to the information provided in The Algemeiner report, Spain’s Jewish community has seen a dramatic escalation of hostility, from assaults and vandalism to harassment at protests. Jewish children have been told to conceal their school uniforms, posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages have been torn down, and anti-Israel demonstrations in cities like Madrid and Barcelona have included chants of “Death to the IDF” and overt praise of Hamas.

“Like in many other parts of the world, we are deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism here,” Erlich warned. “What is even more alarming is the authorities’ failure to recognize or acknowledge this increase.”

She emphasized the critical distinction between fair criticism of Israeli policy and blanket denunciations that demonize Jews as a whole. “Antisemitism has existed for a long time, but here in particular, rhetoric and criticism of Israel often spill over into generalizations and the demonization of all Israelis,” she said.

As she pointed out, Spain is a signatory to the Declaration on Combating Antisemitism, which defines precisely this kind of rhetoric as antisemitic. “This blanket generalization and targeting of all Israelis violates the Declaration — and fits the very definition of antisemitism,” she added.

Critics argue that Sánchez is pursuing a deliberate political strategy: weaponizing the Palestinian cause to bolster his standing among Spain’s far-left parties and activist networks. As The Algemeiner report observed, this approach has allowed him to cast Spain as a champion of the “global South” against Western “imperialism” — even as it isolates his country from mainstream European partners and provokes unease among Spain’s Jewish citizens.

The government’s actions have not gone unchallenged domestically. Opposition leaders, including members of Spain’s center-right Partido Popular, have accused Sánchez of “inciting hatred” and “exploiting” the Palestinian issue to score political points. The uproar intensified after antisemitic incidents were reported at the prestigious Vuelta a España cycling race, where demonstrators used the event to amplify anti-Israel slogans.

Still, the government has pressed ahead. Officials insist their actions reflect a principled stand against what they describe as “Israeli apartheid” and “occupation.” Yet as Erlich emphasized, such rhetoric does not align with the majority of Spanish society. “It is important to clearly distinguish the current Spanish government from the rest of the country, including the broader political sphere, opposition parties, the media, and civil society organizations,” she told N12. “Most Spaniards do not view Israel as an enemy, and the government’s stance is not representative of the country as a whole.”

Since assuming her post earlier this year, Erlich has sought to counteract Madrid’s hostility by deepening ties across other sectors of Spanish society. She has prioritized meetings with cultural, economic, and academic institutions, determined to ensure that Israel is not solely defined by the government’s antagonism. “We cannot let this government’s anti-Israel stance hold us back; we must step up our efforts and increase our visibility,” she explained.

Her efforts are reminiscent of previous Israeli diplomatic strategies in hostile environments: when government-to-government channels are frozen, ambassadors often pivot to cultivating relationships with business leaders, universities, cultural organizations, and grassroots communities. In Spain, where the general public has historically shown a mix of curiosity and ambivalence toward Israel, such outreach may prove vital in countering government narratives.

The tensions between Jerusalem and Madrid are not unprecedented. Spain only formally recognized Israel in 1986, decades after most of its European neighbors, and relations have often been clouded by suspicion. The Algemeiner has frequently noted that Spanish governments of various stripes have embraced pro-Palestinian positions, but the current administration’s policies stand out for their sweeping scope and explicitly punitive character.

Analysts argue that the shift is part of a broader European trend, with segments of the continent’s political left increasingly adopting anti-Israel positions that blur into outright antisemitism. The Post-Holocaust consensus — once an ironclad barrier against overt hostility to Israel — appears to be fraying. In Spain, that process has accelerated, fueled by left-wing populism and growing pro-Palestinian activism in the streets.

The dispute has also spilled into multilateral institutions. Madrid has lobbied the European Union to adopt tougher measures against Israel, including broader arms embargoes and trade restrictions. It has pressed the United Nations for investigations into Israeli conduct in Gaza, aligning itself with states that regularly single out Israel for censure.

In parallel, Madrid has sought to restrict Israel’s access to U.S. logistical support by blocking American military planes and ships from transiting through Spanish bases on their way to Israel. According to the information provided in The Algemeiner report, this measure particularly angered Israeli officials, who view it as an attempt to sever Israel’s vital security lifelines in the midst of an existential war.

As is so often the case, Spain’s Jewish community has been caught in the crossfire. Local Jewish leaders have repeatedly warned that government rhetoric is fueling antisemitic violence, echoing the warnings of groups like the European Jewish Congress and the Anti-Defamation League. Yet, as Erlich noted, the authorities have shown little appetite to acknowledge, let alone address, these concerns.

Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, recently warned that Europe was “at a tipping point” with antisemitism — and Spain, he suggested, was one of the most troubling cases. His comments were cited in The Algemeiner report as part of a broader alarm sounded by Jewish leaders across the continent.

For Spanish Jews, the danger is not merely theoretical. Reports of physical assaults, harassment, and vandalism have multiplied since the war in Gaza began, with synagogues and community centers increasingly under heavy police guard.

For Israel, the challenge is to preserve what ties remain, while making clear that antisemitism disguised as political critique will not be tolerated. Erlich’s public remarks serve as both a warning and a call to action: Israel must increase its visibility in Spain, ensuring that ordinary Spaniards — who she insists do not share their government’s animosity — continue to encounter Israeli culture, business, and innovation firsthand.

At the same time, Jerusalem is likely to increase pressure on Madrid through diplomatic channels, rallying allies in Washington, Brussels, and elsewhere to push back against Spain’s most punitive measures.

As The Algemeiner report indicated, “Spain’s aggressive posture risks not only damaging bilateral ties but also emboldening antisemitic forces within its own society.”

The deteriorating relationship between Israel and Spain reflects a collision of narratives: one government intent on casting itself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, and one Jewish state determined to defend itself against both terrorism and the global delegitimization campaign it faces. In the middle stand Spanish Jews, who now find themselves increasingly targeted by hatred that masquerades as political solidarity.

Ambassador Dana Erlich’s words capture the dilemma succinctly: “We are in a truly difficult situation with the Spanish government… but all is not lost.” Whether dialogue and cultural engagement can counteract the impact of Madrid’s policies remains uncertain. What is clear, however, as The Algemeiner report emphasized, is that Spain’s government is playing with fire — and its rhetoric is fueling an antisemitism that is neither abstract nor distant, but immediate and dangerous for Jews in Spain today.