Israel's foreign ministry summoned Spain's ambassador for a reprimand over the effigy incident, which involved blowing up the effigy with 14kg of gunpowder as part of a traditional and decades-old ceremony. The Israeli foreign ministry posted on X that the 'appalling anti-Semitic hatred on display' was 'a direct result' of 'systemic incitement' by the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In response, a Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters that the government is 'committed to fighting anti-Semitism and any form of hate or discrimination' and 'totally rejects any insidious allegation which suggests the contrary'. The annual festival has previously featured effigies of figures such as US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This diplomatic clash further escalates a long-running dispute between Spain and Israel, which began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Spain has been a vocal critic of US and Israeli military campaigns in the region, despite warnings from America over uncooperative NATO allies. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has previously labelled a Spanish ban on aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel as antisemitic. Sa'ar said that during the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, the Spanish government acted against the interests of Israel and America.
Spain's obsessive anti-Israel bias under Sánchez's leadership is so egregious that it has lost all capability to serve a constructive role in implementing [Trump's] peace plan and the centre operating under it.
On Friday, Netanyahu ordered the removal of Spain's representatives from the Gaza ceasefire coordination centre in Kiryat Gat after Spain accused Israel of 'indiscriminate bombings' in Lebanon. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of violating international law and a two-week ceasefire.
It remains unclear what specific actions, if any, Spain will take in response to Israel's accusations and the removal of its representatives from the Gaza ceasefire coordination centre. Additionally, whether the effigy incident was officially sanctioned by local authorities in El Burgo or if it was organized independently by festival participants has not been confirmed. The diplomatic dispute's broader implications for international relations, particularly within NATO and EU contexts, are also uncertain, as are the exact details and timeline of the Spanish ban on aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel mentioned by Sa'ar. Whether there have been any direct communications or negotiations between Spanish and Israeli officials following the effigy incident and Netanyahu's order is another unknown.