Government Should Suspend Diplomatic Ties with Israel: Spanish Minister of Social Rights, Ione Belarra

Spain's acting social rights minister on Wednesday asked the government to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel due to its "planned genocide" against the Palestinian people.

Ione Belarra's remarks came ahead of a high-level meeting that took place in Madrid as part of Spain's EU presidency.


"Today, I have asked our partner (in the government), the Socialist Party (PSOE), that we take ourselves more seriously in the fight against this planned genocide, which is being carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people. To do this, I believe that we should urgently suspend diplomatic relations with the state of Israel," Belarra told reporters.


"In addition, we should promote a debate at the European level in order to apply exemplary economic sanctions against those politically responsible for this genocide," she added.

At least 471 people were killed and 342 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza late Tuesday, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Israel, however, has denied responsibility for the air raid.

Gaza is already experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel and medical supplies are running out.