Israel Implements Measures Against Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem Following Spain’s Recognition of the State of Palestine

Photo: Reuters
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has announced significant changes to the operations of the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem, effective June 1. This move comes as a direct response to Spain’s formal recognition of the state of Palestine. According to an official Israeli diplomatic statement, the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem will be limited in its scope of services, specifically being restricted to providing consular services exclusively to residents within the Jerusalem consular district. The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s statement clarifies that the Spanish consulate will “not be authorized to exercise consular activity for residents of the Palestinian Authority.” This decision marks a significant shift in the diplomatic operations within the region, reflecting Israel’s disapproval of Spain’s political stance on Palestinian statehood. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz elaborated on the reasoning behind these measures in a separate statement, emphasizing that the restrictions are a form of preliminary punitive action against the Spanish consulate. “Today (Monday) we implemented preliminary punitive measures against the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem, following the Spanish government’s recognition of a Palestinian state,” Katz stated.
















