The Israeli foreign ministry accused the Spanish government of pursuing what it claimed a “systematic anti-Israel policy” under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The diplomatic reprimand came after Rego said Spain and its public supported the establishment of a free Palestinian state and defended Madrid’s position on the conflict in the Middle East.

Rego made the remarks on Thursday while presenting Palestinian Ambassador to Spain Fadi Elhusseini at an event in Madrid, according to Spanish media.

She said Spain had taken “the right position on the Middle East conflict” and that the Spanish public supported “a free Palestine from the river to the sea.”

“We did not choose the wrong side. Standing up for human rights and standing with the Palestinian people is a source of deep pride for us,” she added.

Rego also slammed the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for being a “war criminal” and condemned Israel’s genocidal conduct in Gaza.

The Spanish government did not immediately comment on Israel’s decision to summon its diplomatic representative.

The latest dispute comes amid a sharp deterioration in Spanish-Israeli relations over Israel’s criminal war in Gaza and Madrid’s increasingly outspoken support for Palestinian statehood.

Spain formally recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024, making Palestinian statehood a central element of Madrid’s Middle East policy.

In April 2026, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called on the European Union to adopt stronger measures against the Zionist regime, including reconsidering its relations with Tel Aviv.

Albares also questioned what further violations of international law and human rights would have to occur before the European bloc responded.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian consequences of Israel’s war in Gaza remain at the center of Spain’s criticism.

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 175,000 injured in Israeli genocide in Gaza since 2023, according to the figures cited in the source.

The offensive has also destroyed around 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure, according to the source.

Although a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, the Israeli army has continued attacks in Gaza, killing more than 1,400 Palestinians and injuring around 5,000 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

For Madrid, the continuing violence and destruction in Gaza have reinforced its calls for greater international pressure on Israel and stronger support for Palestinian rights.