Overview
- Netanyahu, who announced the expulsion Friday, said Spain had defamed Israeli soldiers and would no longer take part in the Civil‑Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat.
- Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the step reflected what he called the Sánchez government’s anti‑Israel bias, and Israeli officials said Spain was formally notified and the United States was briefed in advance.
- Israel separately reprimanded Spain’s top diplomat in Tel Aviv over a town festival that blew up a Netanyahu effigy, which Israel labeled antisemitic; Spain rejected the allegation and said it opposes all hate.
- The CMCC is a US-backed hub created in October 2025 under President Trump’s plan to monitor the Gaza ceasefire and organize aid deliveries, and it is mainly staffed by the US and Israel with other partners.
- The move deepens a rift shaped by Spain’s recognition of Palestine in 2024, limits on US use of Spanish bases and airspace during the US‑Israel campaign on Iran, ambassador withdrawals, and Madrid’s criticism of Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which could complicate humanitarian coordination and allied planning.