Luis Ayllón
The differences between the ministers of the socialist wing and those of Sumar within the Government on foreign policy issues were highlighted once again yesterday, following a letter from the Minister for Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, in which he asked Spanish companies with interests in Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent their activities from “contributing to genocide in Palestine”.
Sumar’s ministers in the government, starting with the second vice-president and leader of the group, Yolanda Díaz, have been pushing for the head of the government, Pedro Sánchez, to take the step of recognising the State of Palestine and taking measures against Israel.
Since the current government was formed, these tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been highlighted. Thus, Bustinduy himself and the Minister for Children and Youth, Sira Rego, made their debut in their posts denouncing Israel for the ‘atrocities’ in Gaza.
For her part, Yolanda Díaz announced a few months ago that she intended to visit Gaza, while Foreign Affairs assured that nothing was being prepared in this regard. Last Sunday, Díaz demanded that the government approve the recognition of Palestine as a state in Tuesday’s Council of Ministers, which did not happen.
Yesterday, Bustinduy went a step further by writing to Spanish companies with interests in Israel to demand that they adopt all necessary measures to guarantee that their activities do not contribute to “the flagrant violations of human rights that the State of Israel is committing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the Gaza Strip, against the Palestinian population”, a situation that the minister describes as “genocide”.
In addition, it calls on companies to report to the Ministry the assessments and studies carried out to avoid the main risks of abuses that their activities and business relations may entail, including consultations with human rights experts or with potentially affected groups and other interested parties.
Bustinduy explains that “this is an initiative that seeks to find solutions to put an end to the genocide in Palestine and is framed as one more action in the political line of the Spanish Government that seeks to recognise the State of Palestine and promote its entry as a full member of the UN”.
“We have done so because it is a mandate of international law, also of the Sustainable Development Goals, and because three months ago the International Court of Justice urged States to take all necessary actions to avoid, prevent and stop the ongoing genocide”, says the Minister of Social Rights, who defends the right of consumers to know whether when they buy a good or a service “they are contributing” directly or indirectly to “financing human rights violations”.
Bustinduy’s letter also acknowledges that his request also responds to the concern that the head of the Palestinian Mission in Spain, Husni Abdel Wahed, expressed to him at their recent meeting regarding the involvement of European companies in activities that may have a direct or indirect impact on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the ongoing genocide.
Several Spanish companies have interests in Israel and some of them, namely CAF, COMSA, GMV and TYPSA, are currently working on the construction of new tram lines in Jerusalem, which reach into Palestinian territory where illegal settlements of Jewish settlers have been erected.
Surprise at the Foreign Ministry
Bustinduy’s letter provoked surprise at the Foreign Ministry, which said it was unaware of its existence. “It is the first news we have had of this letter,” said diplomatic sources, who described Israel as a “friendly state of Spain”. “We do not understand what is meant by ‘the Government’,” said these sources, who assured that the Executive has a “clear” position that “the State of Israel and the people of Israel are friends of Spain and the Spanish people”.
The letter also took the Ministry of Economy by surprise, whose head, Carlos Cuerpo, acknowledged that he had not been informed by Minister Bustinduy, nor had he spoken to him. “Spanish companies are perfectly aware of their obligations within the current regulatory framework”, said Cuerpo, adding that these obligations include “respect for humanitarian rights”.
For her part, the third vice-president and minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, underlined that “the political involvement of the Spanish government in the fight against poverty and poverty in the region is a key element of the Spanish government’s commitment”.
Sumar attacks Foreign Ministry
After describing Israel as a “state friendly to Spain”, Sumar leaders went on a rampage against the department headed by José Manuel Albares, urging it not to have any complicity given that Israel is a “friend of genocide” and even calling for the severance of economic relations.
On the social network X, Sumar wrote: “Companies in our country must not be complicit in the violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people”, noting that the request made by Bustinduy “is a necessary step to move towards peace and break economic relations with Israel”.
“We cannot be complicit. We need more measures that contribute to achieving peace: immediate recognition of the Palestinian state, a call for consultations, breaking off economic relations and sanctions against Israeli settlers”, added Sumar in another message.
Amanda Andrades, a member of Sumar’s executive, specifically addressed the foreign minister: “Albares, realise: genocidaires can never be friends”.
Response from the Israeli Embassy
For its part, the Israeli Embassy in Madrid issued a statement in which, without expressly alluding to Bustinduy’s letter, it expresses its “total rejection of the false accusation spread by some ministers, intellectuals and the media that Israel is committing genocide” in Gaza.
“The demonisation and delegitimisation of Israel, resorting to baseless accusations, gives wings to Hamas and those who seek the disappearance of the State of Israel,” the embassy said, adding that such accusations “are a clear incitement to hatred and encourage anti-Semitism”.
The diplomatic representation also regrets that there is “an incomprehensible silence in Spain from the majority of intellectuals and human rights organisations in the face of the tragedy of the 132 hostages who are still in the hands of Hamas terrorists”.
