Over the past few hours, a video has circulated on social media featuring Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz making a strong statement regarding Palestine. In the video, Díaz, who is also the leader of the smaller coalition partner party Sumra, states that Spain's move to recognize the Palestinian state is "just the beginning."
She added, "We live in a moment where doing the minimum is considered heroic, yet it is not enough at the same time," calling for pressure on the European Union to cancel all agreements with Israel. She concluded her remarks with the phrase, "Palestine will be liberated from the river to the sea."
This expression, first used by the Palestinian Liberation Organization, is viewed by many in Israel as a call for the destruction of their state. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz issued a harsh statement on Friday, describing Yolanda Díaz as "ignorant and full of hatred." Katz also announced "the prohibition of the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians."
Following the controversy her statement generated, Díaz responded on Friday, clarifying that her words "aimed to celebrate the attempt to achieve peace through a two-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East and that they are not anti-Semitic." She added to reporters in Madrid, "I do not agree with policies of hate. I believe what I tried to explain in the video is clear, which is that this is a very important step we have taken as a country."
