Euractiv, May 27, 2024

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Sunday strongly criticised a video posted the same day by his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz on X, featuring two flamenco dancers interspersed with images of Hamas terrorist attacks and a direct message to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The controversial video (Twitter, 0:18) is a bitterly ironic political attack by Tel Aviv on Spain over Madrid’s decision on Tuesday to join Norway and Ireland in recognising Palestinian statehood.

“I find the video scandalous and execrable. It is scandalous because it is known to everyone, especially to my Israeli colleague (Katz), that the Spanish government has condemned Hamas terrorism from the first moment and in all its actions,” Albares (PSOE/S&D) stressed at a press conference in Brussels together with the Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamad Mustafa, Euractiv’s partner EFE reported.

The 18-second video begins with images of the Spanish flag and the subtitle: “Hamas: Thank you, Spain”, accompanied by flamenco music in the background and images of Hamas terrorists brandishing weapons or shooting.

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