MADRID: Continuous criticism of Israel by the far-left party Podemos, a member of Spain’s government, has presented a political challenge for acting Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and has added complexity to his efforts to form a new government.
Ione Belarra, the head of Podemos and the Social Rights Minister, made statements on Saturday asserting that Israel’s response to Hamas’s attacks on October 7 committed “genocide.” She also called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be brought to trial by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Furthermore, she urged Madrid to sever diplomatic relations with Israel and impose sanctions on the country’s officials.
On October 7, Israel declared war on Hamas after Hamas fighters breached the heavily fortified Gaza border, to liberate Palestinian territory from occupied forces.
In response, Israel launched extensive air strikes on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 3,470 people, mainly civilians, according to the Palestine health ministry. Additionally, Israel imposed a severe blockade on the Palestinian enclave, resulting in dwindling supplies of food, water, and fuel for the inhabitants.
