Israel said on Saturday it had reprimanded Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv over the blowing up of a giant effigy of ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Spanish town last week.

Ties between Jerusalem and Madrid have steadily deteriorated over the past several years as Spain’s government expressed increasing anger against Israel over the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza, with ties further collapsing during the war with Iran.

The 23-foot ‌figure of Netanyahu was packed with 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of gunpowder in El Burgo, a small town near the southern city of Malaga, its Mayor ​Maria Dolores Narvaez told local television.

The decades-old ceremony took place on Easter Sunday and is often referred to as the “Burning of Judas.”

“The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here ​is a direct result of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s ⁠government’s systemic incitement,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on X that ​highlighted a video clip apparently showing the crowd cheering as the effigy was ignited.

A Spanish Foreign Ministry source ​said in response that “the Spanish ​government is committed to fighting against antisemitism and any form of hate or discrimination. As such we totally reject any insidious allegation which suggests the contrary.”

The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of @sanchezcastejon government’s systemic incitement.And even now, the Spanish government remains silent.The Spanish chargé d’affaires was summoned for a reprimand. pic.twitter.com/2Bguhs7Ce8 — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 11, 2026

The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of @sanchezcastejon government’s systemic incitement.And even now, the Spanish government remains silent.The Spanish chargé d’affaires was summoned for a reprimand. pic.twitter.com/2Bguhs7Ce8

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 11, 2026

El Burgo’s Mayor Narvaez said the town has previously used ​effigies of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the annual event.

During the war with Iran, Spain closed its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran, a step beyond its previous denial of use of jointly operated military bases.

On Friday, Israel kicked Spain out of the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat overseeing the ceasefire in Gaza. Spain had a permanent presence at the headquarters, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.

Countries that “wage a diplomatic war” against Israel will pay “an immediate price,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement.

Last month, Spain permanently withdrew its ambassador to Israel. Spain’s Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Tel Aviv will be led by a charge d’affaires for the foreseeable future.

Israel’s embassy in Spain is also run by a charge d’affaires after Jerusalem in May 2024 recalled its ambassador, Rodica Radian-Gordon, in protest of Spain’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the Iran war right now? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:

Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock under difficult conditions to cover this conflict;

Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and emails; and

Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.

We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

You clearly find our careful reporting of the Iran war valuable, at a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.

Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically during this ongoing conflict.

So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you'll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you,David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel

1 2,500-year-old infant mass grave cracks open enigma of biblical-era baby burials

2 US intel said to assess Iran can recover underground launchers, fire thousands of missiles

3 US, Iran hold direct talks in Pakistan; Tehran demands control of Hormuz, truce in Lebanon

4 Dan Bilzerian, who says Judaism is ‘terrible’ and wants to ‘kill Israelis,’ runs for Congress

5 US-Iran talks extend into the night as Trump claims ‘no difference’ to him if deal reached

6 US says Navy destroyers working to de-mine Strait of Hormuz

7 InterviewOn the record and off the court: Meet the only Jewish player on the NCAA championship team

8 Five arrested as Syria says it foiled Hezbollah-linked plot to kill Damascus rabbi

Israel-Spain relations

antisemitism in Spain

© The Times of Israel