Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador to Israel, with its Tel Aviv embassy now led by a charge d’affaires, deepening a diplomatic rift rooted in the Gaza conflict and Spain’s recognition of Palestine.
MADRID: In a significant and symbolic move, Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador to Israel, making it one of the few Western nations to take such a decisive diplomatic step over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The decision was published in Spain’s official state gazette on Tuesday, March 11, 2026, formally terminating the ambassador’s position. Spain’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that its embassy in Tel Aviv will now be led by a charge d’affaires for the foreseeable future, a clear sign that a full restoration of normal diplomatic relations is not on the horizon anytime soon.
The relationship between the two countries has been unravelling for some time. The Spanish ambassador was first summoned back to Madrid last September, following a row over Spain’s decision to ban aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel from using its ports or airspace. Spain’s government, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza among European Union members, described its actions as a stand against what it called the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The Israeli side has its own grievances. The Israeli ambassador to Spain was recalled last May, after Spain formally recognised the State of Palestine, a move Israel condemned strongly at the time.
With both countries now represented only by charge d’affaires, the diplomatic channel between Madrid and Tel Aviv has been reduced to its most basic functional level. It is a far cry from the relationship the two nations once maintained.
Spain joins a small but growing number of countries choosing to express their position on Gaza not just in words, but through concrete diplomatic action. Whether others in Europe follow suit remains to be seen.
