Barcelona severs ties with Israel

Demonstration for Palestine in Barcelona, September 2024 ElleAnónime, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Various Sources

Barcelona's city council has officially voted to sever institutional ties with the Israeli government and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv. The decision, backed by the governing Socialist Party along with leftist and pro-independence groups, cites violations of international law and the rights of Palestinians.

Barcelona's mayor, Jaume Collboni, stated that the suffering and deaths in Gaza over the past year and a half, along with recent Israeli government actions, make any relationship between the cities unsustainable. The council also urged trade fair organizers and the Port of Barcelona to avoid hosting Israeli government pavilions or companies involved in the arms trade.

This move follows Spain’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state, alongside Ireland and Norway, in a decision that was strongly criticized by Israel. It’s not the first time Barcelona has taken such action—former mayor Ada Colau made a similar decision in 2023, though it was later reversed.