Israel must end ‘genocide’ of Palestinians in Gaza: Ione Belarra

MADRID: Condemning world leaders for a “display of hypocrisy” Spanish Minister for Social Rights, Ione Belarra, has called for an end to the genocide in Gaza, Palestine. 

The Spanish Minister has called on the international community to sanction Israel for its “planned genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza. According to Belarra, the world leaders are engaged in an apparent show of double standards speaking up against abuses in Ukraine but maintaining a “deafening silence” on the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza. 

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On Wednesday, the Minister said: “[Israel] must end this planned genocide against the Palestinian people”. Speaking about the deaths of thousands of children, women, and the vulnerable in Palestine, Belarra added: “Why can we give lessons in human rights in other conflicts and not here when the world is watching in horror?” 

The Minister for Social Rights continued to criticize the lack of proper action by political leaders who could do something. Speaking with a focus on the European Union (EU), she said: “It seems the display of hypocrisy, which the European Commission is showing, is unacceptable”. 

She urged Spain and other nations to break off diplomatic ties with Israel in protest against its ongoing assault in Gaza. It is pertinent to note that on October 7, Hamas reportedly attacked Israel killing over 1,000 Israelis and taking hundreds captive. In response to Hamas, Israel launched a full-fledged war in the Gaza Strip bombing civilians relentlessly and killing more than 10,500 Palestinians under the guise of targetting Hamas leaders, of which 4,300 are children. 

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Among foreign nationals stuck in the region, Spanish citizens are also caught in the middle of the devastation. According to diplomatic sources cited in El Pais newspaper, Ivan Illarramendi kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 has passed away. Illarramendi was reportedly living in a kibbutz.

Belarra further argued that although the EU was quick to take action in the Russia-Ukraine war by putting sanctions on Vladimir Putin, they are failing to take “fast action” in a similar fashion. “We are losing the opportunity. At the moment, we could do lots of things”, she said while suggesting economic sanctions on Israel’s Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu who she claimed was a “war criminal”. 

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Belarra also stood firm in her position against other politicians responsible for “pushing the button” arguing that they too should be presented before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and tried for approving bombing campaigns that target civilian populations and hospitals in a “flagrant breach of human rights”.

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Ione Belarra furthered her demand that breaking off diplomatic ties with Israel for its war crimes in Gaza would send “the right political message”. The Social Rights Minister also stressed that those speaking up against Israel must remain firm despite the fact that Israel is very powerful with equally “powerful friends”. 

On the other hand, Spain has demanded the release of over 200 hostages taken during Hamas’ attack while calling for a truce. Spanish authorities are also calling for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza where civilians are facing a food and water crisis. 

On Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister (FM) José Manuel Albares said his country would double its aid – to $43 million –  for the civilian population.

Among thousands of protestors marching in support of Palestinian freedom across the globe are Spanish citizens. It is worth mentioning that of Spain’s total population, almost two million people are Muslims with another 50,000 Jews. Addressing the protests, Belarra said: “The [Spanish] government is maintaining a more dignified position than other countries of the European community, which are criminalising the pro-Palestinian movement, banning demonstrations”. 

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Foreign Policy Expert for the Autonomous University of Madrid, Ignacio Molina told Al Jazeera that although Spain has diplomatic ties with Israel, “like Ireland and some other European countries, it is among the more sympathetic towards the Palestinian cause”.  

Earlier this week, Spain honoured United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after he was criticized for his remark that Hamas attacks “did not happen in a vacuum”. 

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