March 12, 2026 | 10:21 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spain permanently withdrew its ambassador to Israel on Tuesday, six months after recalling her for consultations, as a diplomatic standoff between the two countries initially linked to the war in Gaza regained momentum amid the latest US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Spain's official gazette on Wednesday showed that the step had been taken the previous day, terminating the position of Ambassador Ana Maria Salomon Perez until further notice. The proposal, made by Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, had also been signed by King Felipe VI, the documentation showed.
The Spanish Embassy in Tel Aviv is currently run by a charge d'affaires rather than an ambassador.
Why are Spanish and Israeli relations strained?
The move is the latest escalation in severely strained ties between the governments of Prime Ministers Pedro Sanchez and Benjamin Netanyahu, which have been deteriorating since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Sanchez's government has been among the most stern European critics of Netanyahu's government's military actions, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Israel withdrew its ambassador from Madrid in 2024 following Spain's recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Ambassador Perez was summoned back to Spain last September amid a diplomatic row over Spanish measures banning aircraft and ships from its ports and airspace if they were carrying weapons bound for Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sarr called the step antisemitic.
The Spanish prime minister has been highly critical of the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran, calling them a violation of international law and also bringing the issue to the forefront in local election campaigns in recent days. Sarr accused Madrid's government of "standing with tyrants" in its opposition to the attacks on Iran.
Sanchez has also drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump over his opposition to the war, with Trump threatening to cut all trade with the EU member state.
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