Netanyahu Excludes Spain from Gaza Monitoring Mission Over 'Diplomatic War' Accusations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday excluded Spain from the Civil-Military Coordination Centre in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, accusing Madrid of waging a "diplomatic war" against Israel and showing "hypocrisy" and "hostility" toward the country. Netanyahu announced the decision in a video message, stating that Spain had "repeatedly chosen to oppose Israel" and ordering the expulsion of Spanish representatives from the coordination center. The CMCC, which operates under American supervision, includes military and diplomatic representatives from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, who monitor the Gaza ceasefire and oversee humanitarian aid delivery in the territory. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10.

„I am not willing to tolerate this hypocrisy and this hostility. I have no intention of allowing any country to wage a diplomatic war against us without paying an immediate price.” — Benjamin Netanyahu via RFI

„Anyone who attacks the State of Israel instead of the terrorist regimes will not be our partner in the future of the region.” — Benjamin Netanyahu via Jornal Expresso

Israeli foreign minister cites Spain's Iran stance as final break Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar formally notified Spain of the exclusion and informed the United States in advance, according to a statement cited by the Spanish news agency EFE. Sa'ar said the "anti-Israel bias of the Sánchez government is so extreme that it has lost all capacity to act constructively in the implementation of President Trump's peace plan at the CMCC." He also linked the decision explicitly to Spain's opposition to the US-Israeli military offensive against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, describing the damage caused to Israeli and American interests as serious. Sa'ar had previously accused the Spanish government of "siding with tyrants" for opposing those strikes, and also accused Spain of being "complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes" after Madrid recognized a Palestinian state. The United States was informed of the decision before it was publicly announced, Sa'ar confirmed.

„The anti-Israel bias of the Sánchez government is so extreme that it has lost all capacity to act constructively in the implementation of President Trump's peace plan at the CMCC.” — Gideon Sa'ar via RFI

Sánchez calls for EU to suspend Israel association agreement Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking at the European Pulse Forum in Barcelona, condemned what he described as a "massacre" being committed by Netanyahu in Lebanon, where Israeli bombardments have continued despite a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Sánchez called on European Union member states to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, arguing that Israel was "trampling and violating" many of its articles. He urged the EU to act "with coherence and empathy" and advocated for a common European foreign, security, and defense policy, calling for a common European Army to be established without delay. Sánchez also opposed the US-Israeli offensive against Iran launched on February 28, and Madrid closed its airspace to American planes involved in that war. Spain and Israel had already recalled their respective ambassadors following a prolonged deterioration in bilateral relations. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares separately criticized Israel for its continued military campaign in Lebanon, which Israel has maintained is separate from the Iran ceasefire.

Madrid recognized Palestine in 2024, deepening the rift Spanish Second Vice President and Minister of Labor Yolanda Díaz responded to the exclusion on social media, reiterating what she framed as Spain's principled position.

„All hostility against war criminals and genocidaires, yes.” — Yolanda Díaz via eldiario.es

The diplomatic rupture between Spain and Israel has deepened steadily since May 2024, when Spain formally recognized an independent Palestinian state, making it one of the first major Western European countries to do so. Both countries subsequently withdrew their ambassadors. Spain has also been among the most vocal critics of Israel's military operations in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, and has extended its criticism to Israeli operations in Lebanon. The exclusion from the CMCC marks a new low in bilateral relations, removing Spain from a body that plays a direct role in implementing the Gaza ceasefire and managing humanitarian access to the territory.

The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israeli territory. Spain recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024, one of the first major Western European nations to take that step, and both Spain and Israel subsequently recalled their ambassadors. The CMCC was established in late November 2025 in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, as part of President Donald Trump's framework for ending the Gaza conflict, according to a web search result dated January 21, 2026. The US-Israeli military offensive against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026, and Spain closed its airspace to American aircraft involved in that campaign.

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