During a moment on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona’s mayor announced a statement that surprised many. The decision to sever relations with Israel drew attention abroad, yet the reaction on the Israeli side was mixed. Government members condemned the move, while Palestinians welcomed it with visible enthusiasm. The Israeli press, for its part, paid little heed to a shift that did not seem to rattle the city’s residents. Tel Aviv remained distant from Barcelona in the public sense, yet the question persisted: was apartheid being accused and debated in this campaign led by Colau and other supporters? The messaging urged reflection, but the response from the public did not align with sweeping conclusions.
What followed was a broader disconnect: a suspension of ties, mirroring Colau’s approach with Tel Aviv, that echoed a similar action taken less than a year earlier in St. Petersburg to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The mayor of that Mediterranean city, Ron Huldai, simply noted that residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo and Barcelona share common values of pluralism, liberalism, and diversity. The press office later stated that visitors from Barcelona and Spain would always be welcomed with cordiality, addressing the demands of a newspaper in a cooperative spirit.
“anti-Semitic, illogical and blatant”
From Israel’s vantage point, Catalonia’s stance did not reflect a Jewish-friendly public sentiment. The Parliament of Catalonia, in June, and, in the European Union’s First Chamber, accused the Hebrew State of apartheid. Israeli officials nonetheless sharped their criticisms of Colau. A tourism minister urged reversing the decision and stressed that politics and tourism should remain separate. He described the internal strife in Israel as a factor in building an Arab society that seeks integration, while affirming that the military acts with moral restraint and respect for human rights.
Within Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the decision was condemned as lacking support from a majority of Barcelonans. Officials argued that the move could embolden extremism and anti-Semitism while harming the people of Barcelona. A member of parliament from Netanyahu’s party joined the critique, calling severing ties with a partner nation hypocritical while supporting Gaza-related violence. A prominent commentator described the decision as unreasonable and anti-Semitic in its impact.
“Thanks from my heart”
From the other side of the green line, foreign officials and Palestinian authorities welcomed the move and urged other cities to follow suit. The mayor of Gaza City conveyed heartfelt thanks for continuing Barcelona’s matchmaking alignment. A representative in Barcelona received a message of gratitude, praising leadership that highlights injustices faced by Palestinians, including the ongoing system described as apartheid by some observers.
Historians and scholars noted that Colau’s gesture carried significance beyond a single city. A respected academic linked to Palestinian studies described the act as bold, arguing that such measures place pressure on Israel to reassess its policies. He suggested that governments tend to be cautious about taking public positions on Israel, yet gestures like this can carry meaningful momentum. Barcelona is not alone in taking a stance. In 2018, Valencia joined a growing list of cities in Spain connected to broader networks addressing Israel-related concerns, an emergence associated with Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movements and related debates about space, governance, and international relationships.