Israeli Foreign Minister Rejects Request to Lift Restrictions on Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem
Jerusalem: Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has firmly rejected a request from his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, to lift restrictions on the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem.
Last week, Israel announced that the consulate was prohibited from providing services to Palestinians from the West Bank, following Spain’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine, according to Xinhua news agency.
In a statement on social media platform X, Katz explained on Friday that “any contact between the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem and individuals in the Palestinian Authority constitutes a danger to Israel’s national security and will be completely prohibited.”
He further warned that Israel will “strictly enforce the guidelines and, if violated, will take additional measures, potentially leading to the closure of the consulate.”
This move comes after Norway, Ireland, and Spain jointly announced on May 22 their decision to recognize Palestine as a state, effective from May 28.
To date, more than 140 countries, representing over two-thirds of the United Nations’ membership, have recognized a Palestinian state.
