Spain is banning Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering its territory, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced on Tuesday afternoon.
The decision was taken as part of Madrid’s “commitment to peace” and stance against “unacceptable violence,” Albares claimed at a press briefing following a Council of Ministers meeting on Israel.
Madrid’s move also came in the wake of Israeli sanctions targeting two Spanish Cabinet members due to their hostility toward the Jewish state.
Ben-Gvir responded on X, writing in a Spanish-language post: “Don’t let me in... but give the people from Gaza free entry into Spain.” Smotrich did not immediately respond to Madrid’s announcement on Tuesday.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced an entry ban for Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz and Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego, accusing them of “pursuing a hostile, anti-Israel line, marked by wild, hate-filled rhetoric.”
Albares subsequently recalled Spain’s envoy to Israel for consultations.
Jerusalem’s action came on the same day that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented nine measures against Israel to “prevent genocide in Gaza,” a charge that Israel and Washington deny.
Among other measures, the Spanish premier announced that Madrid would enshrine a royal decree in law to establish a comprehensive arms embargo, banning all military trade and technology exports to Israel.
One of the measures that could impact a wide swath of Israeli society states that “entry to Spain is prohibited for anyone directly involved in genocide, human rights violations, or war crimes in the Gaza Strip.”
According to Israel’s Channel 12, this could mean denying entry to IDF soldiers and officers as well as ministers and other government officials.
Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Saturday that the ruling coalition was also planning to declare Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers persona non grata and prevent their entry to the country.
