Antalya: Israel summoned the Spanish ambassador Wednesday after Spain's prime minister called it a 'genocidal state.' Ana Salomon was asked to attend a meeting at the Foreign Ministry after Pedro Sanchez made the remarks, saying Spain "does not do business" with such a country.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "Following the severe remarks made by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Ambassador to Israel has been summoned for a reprimand meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem tomorrow." This diplomatic friction arose after Sanchez's comments during a parliamentary session in Madrid, where he responded to criticism from Gabriel Rufian, a Catalan member of parliament. Rufian accused the Socialist leader of maintaining trade ties with Israel despite the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Sanchez's public use of the term "genocidal state" marks a significant shift in Spain's political discourse, as it was reportedly the first time he employed such language. This term is frequently used by his far-left coalition partner, the Sumar party. Sumar leader and Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide and has advocated for a freeze on trade relations between Spain and Israel.

The backdrop to these remarks is the ongoing Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of over 52,900 Palestinians since October 2023, most of whom are reported to be women and children. The International Criminal Court had previously issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the situation in Gaza.