If the Spanish government does not intervene, Madrid’s streets could witness a disgraceful spectacle on Oct. 6—a rally organized by Samidoun, a group linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which the European Union classifies as a terrorist organization. This event is planned to celebrate Oct. 7, the day of Hamas’s brutal attacks, and will likely echo with chants such as “From the river to the sea,” a slogan advocating the destruction of Israel.
Samidoun, banned in Germany for its ties to terrorism, held a demonstration in Berlin where participants cheered Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre and called for the death of Jews. Now, the same organization, as part of the Masar Badil movement, seeks to glorify the “dawn of the glorious Oct. 7” in Spain. This celebration has even garnered support from figures within the Sumar political party, which includes Spain’s current vice president, Yolanda Díaz; and former ministers of the government, members of the Podemos political party.
The planned rally, coming one year after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, would be a stain on Spain’s image. Despite the European Union’s condemnation of the horrors perpetrated by Hamas—murders, tortures, kidnappings—the rhetoric of support for these atrocities may ring loudly in Madrid’s streets. Spain, an E.U. member state, risks becoming an outlier if it allows this to proceed unchecked.
Since Hamas’s attack, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has taken steps that have distanced Spain from its European partners, except for a few like Ireland and Slovenia. His government’s actions and rhetoric have drawn praise from Hamas itself. In the wake of the attack, Sánchez called for Europe to recognize the Palestinian state, a move that though symbolic, was ill-timed. Most European countries understood that recognition at this juncture would only be seen as an endorsement of Hamas’s terrorism. Undeterred, Sánchez pushed forward with Ireland, even bypassing a parliamentary vote.
Sánchez’s actions, such as joining South Africa’s baseless accusation that Israel is committing “genocide,” have been largely cosmetic. Yet these gestures have made him a hero to autocratic regimes and groups with dubious democratic credentials. Meanwhile, members of his government have taken to the streets, shouting genocidal slogans against the Jewish state. Even Díaz, the vice president and member of the Sumar party, joined in, sharing her participation on social media.
Sánchez’s first international trip after securing his minority government further displayed his disregard for decorum. He held a press conference at the moment freed hostages were passing by, turning the event into a self-promoting spectacle. His subsequent actions culminated in the recognition of Palestine as a state and the recall of Spain’s Israeli ambassador. Since then, Israel has not had an ambassador in Spain.
The Spanish government’s hostility toward Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, has been bolstered by media outlets like El País. In the first five months after the conflict began, the once-reputable newspaper published more than 30 editorials. A study of the paper’s headlines showed that none of them clearly condemned Hamas’s massacre. Instead, a significant portion of the coverage praised Sánchez’s stance, casting him as a principled leader confronting Israeli irrationality.
Whether driven by ideology or political opportunism, Sánchez has pushed Spain to the brink—walking a fine line between defending democratic values and turning a blind eye to Islamist terrorism. Relations between Spain and Israel have suffered, and trust has eroded.
The rally in Madrid will only deepen this divide unless the government steps in. Spain must decide whether it will continue its flirtation with terrorism or begin restoring its standing in democratic circles.
Domestically, Spain faces another crisis—its institutions are weakening under Sánchez’s government. Allegations of corruption swirl around his administration, and efforts are underway to silence dissenting media outlets. Playing the Israel card may serve as a distraction for now, but come Oct. 6, more damaging images of Spain’s drift towards extremism are likely to emerge.
