StandWithUs, a U.S.-based pro-Israel advocacy group, has announced the cancellation of its planned April 26\u2013May 3, 2026 mission to Spain, citing what it described as the Spanish government\u2019s \u201cconstant hostility\u201d toward Israel and the Jewish people.<\/p>\n
The organization said the move is in direct response to Spain\u2019s stated plans to recognize a Palestinian state, a decision it argues would \u201creward Hamas and the Palestinian Authority for terrorism against Israel and its citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roz Rothstein, CEO and Co-Founder of StandWithUs, strongly criticized Spain\u2019s position:
\u201cHamas still has Jewish blood on its hands from the savagery of October 7th, 2023, marked by torture, rape, murder, and kidnapping. Forty-eight innocent hostages are still being held in Gaza. In this horrific context, the Spanish government has been demonizing Israel and preparing to hand Hamas and its supporters a political victory.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rothstein also accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of continuing the so-called \u201cPay for Slay\u201d policy, under which Palestinian authorities provide financial incentives to families of those who carry out attacks against Israelis. She argued that Spain\u2019s recognition of a Palestinian state would only embolden such actions.<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s relations with Israel have long been marked by complexity. The country was the last in Western Europe to recognize Israel, in 1986, and its history of Jewish persecution, including the Spanish Inquisition of the late 1400s, remains a sensitive chapter.<\/p>\n
Since 2022, antisemitic incidents in Spain have reportedly surged by 567%. StandWithUs claims that the Spanish government has worsened the situation by accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, backing arms embargoes, and engaging in \u201clawfare\u201d against Israeli policies.<\/p>\n
The group also highlighted Spain\u2019s own history of extremist violence, referencing the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people and injured more than 1,800. \u201cSpanish leaders should know better,\u201d Rothstein said, urging Madrid to reconsider its course.<\/p>\n
StandWithUs said it will not bring delegations to Spain under current circumstances and urged others to cancel their travel as well.
\u201cWe strongly urge others to cancel all travel to Spain until its leaders abandon this dangerous course and demonstrate genuine respect for the Jewish state, its security, and its right to defend its citizens,\u201d Rothstein declared.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
StandWithUs, a U.S.-based pro-Israel advocacy group, has announced the cancellation of its planned April 26\u2013May 3, 2026 mission to Spain, citing what it described as the Spanish government\u2019s \u201cconstant hostility\u201d toward Israel and the Jewish people. The organization said the move is in direct response to Spain\u2019s stated plans to recognize a Palestinian state, a<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,27,28,239],"tags":[1657,980,981,983,1658,1346,1656,1659],"class_list":{"0":"post-14043","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-news","8":"category-europe","9":"category-middle-east","10":"category-usa-canada","11":"tag-antisemitism","12":"tag-hamas","13":"tag-israel","14":"tag-middle-east-conflict","15":"tag-palestinian-state","16":"tag-spain","17":"tag-standwithus","18":"tag-travel-boycott"},"yoast_head":"\n