Israel Lays Into Spain: "We Won't Accept Hypocritical Moralizing"

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar launched a scathing attack Sunday on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez following reports that the Spanish leader intends to cancel the comprehensive Association Agreement between Israel and the European Union.

Sa'ar Responds in Spanish

"We will not accept hypocritical moralizing from someone connected to totalitarian regimes that violate human rights, such as Erdogan’s Turkey or Maduro’s Venezuela," Sa'ar wrote in a social media post published in Spanish.

He further accused Sánchez’s administration of cozying up to hostile actors: "A government that receives thanks from the cruel Iranian regime and terror organizations, and that engages in the spread of antisemitism." To emphasize his point, Sa'ar shared an image from an Iranian propaganda video showing a poster of Sánchez attached to a missile launched toward Israel during the war.

Despite the harsh words for the leadership, Sa'ar clarified: "We have nothing against the citizens of Spain; on the contrary. Our issue is with the double standards of the Sánchez government."

The Move to Suspend EU-Israel Ties

The diplomatic firestorm comes as Sánchez prepares to formally propose the cancellation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement this coming Tuesday. Addressing EU foreign ministers, Sánchez claimed that "a government that violates international law or the principles of the European Union cannot be its partner."

What’s at Stake?

The Association Agreement, which entered its current form 26 years ago in 2000, serves as the legal backbone for all bilateral relations between Israel and the EU. It regulates:

The European Union remains Israel's largest trading partner. Experts warn that a suspension or cancellation of the agreement could trigger a significant shift in Israel's economic structure, impacting everything from industrial exports to scientific cooperation.