Israel has blamed the Spanish government for the vandalism of Jewish graves at a cemetery in Barcelona at the weekend.
On Saturday, the local Jewish community reported that over 20 graves in the Jewish section of Les Corts cemetery were damaged by unknown perpetrators. The Israeli Foreign Ministry linked the incident to what it called “the anti-Israel campaign” by the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
In May 2024, Spain recognized the state of Palestine in a move coordinated with Norway and Ireland. The European nations aimed to pressure West Jerusalem over its military tactics in Gaza. Israel, accused of disproportionate force in response to the October 2023 attack by Hamas, claims any support for Palestinian statehood “rewards terrorism” and fuels anti-Semitism.
The cemetery incident was condemned by the local authorities. Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni called any violation of the dignity of the dead “intolerable” and said the attack undermined peaceful coexistence. Catalan Parliament President Josep Rull denounced “hate crime, racism, or anti-Semitism that sows discord” in Catalonia.
Investigators have not yet named any suspects. The city’s Jewish community and municipal authorities restricted access to the site over the weekend, saying they are working to repair the damage and have also secured Jewish sections at two other Barcelona cemeteries.