Overview
- Spain’s official gazette on March 10 terminated Ambassador Ana María Sálomon Pérez’s appointment, with the Tel Aviv mission now run by a chargé d’affaires.
- The decision extends a long rift tied to Gaza policy, after Spain recognized Palestinian statehood in 2024 and enacted a permanent arms embargo in 2025.
- Madrid also denied the United States access to its bases for Iran operations, and President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off trade with Spain.
- Israel previously pulled its envoy from Madrid, and both countries now operate with chargés d’affaires rather than full ambassadors.
- Israeli and US officials condemned Spain’s move, and the downgrade adds pressure on NATO coordination and could weigh on trade relations.