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Israel Reprimands Spain Over Youth Minister's "From the River to the Sea" Remarks
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News18•28-09-2026, 15:30
Israel Reprimands Spain Over Youth Minister's "From the River to the Sea" Remarks
- •Israel summoned Spain's charge d'affaires after Spanish Youth Minister Sira Rego publicly supported a Palestinian state "from the river to the sea," a slogan implying the elimination of Israel.
- •The Israeli Foreign Ministry labeled Rego's remarks as part of a "systematic anti-Israel policy" by the Spanish government and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
- •Rego was criticized for not condemning the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led militant attacks on Israel and has been barred from entering Israel in September 2025.
- •Separately, Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen regretted Israel's decision to expel Dutch diplomats from Ramallah.
- •Israel's expulsion of Dutch diplomats was in response to a Dutch ban on goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the Netherlands considers illegal under international law.
Key Questions Answered
Israel summoned the Spanish charge d'affaires following remarks by Spain's youth minister, Sira Rego, who publicly supported a Palestinian state "from the river to the sea" and failed to condemn the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
Israel announced the expulsion of Dutch diplomats from Ramallah in response to a Dutch import ban on goods originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The temporary import ban stemmed from an obligation under international law to avoid contributing to the unlawful situation regarding illegal settlements.
