The new Minister of Youth and Education, Sira Rego, from Izquierda Unida, voted in the European Parliament against condemning the Hamas attacks against Israel, as reported by OKDIARIO. Furthermore, an Israeli media has reported that the IU spokesperson wrote on her social networks that Palestine “has the right to resist after decades of occupation, apartheid and exile.” She did so on October 7, the same day as the Hamas attacks on Israeli territory. The criticism from the media in that country coincides with Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Netanyahu next Thursday.
In that vote in the European Parliament there were only 21 votes against, among which were Sira Rego and Ernest Urtasun, today ministers in the Sánchez Government. Also Ana Miranda from the BNG, Idoia Villanueva from Podemos, Miguel Urbán from Anticapitalistas and Diana Riba from ERC abstained.
The resolution that was proposed in the European Parliament and that Sira Rego rejected, called for condemning “in the strongest terms” the “infamous” attacks by Hamas. In addition, they disapproved of Iran’s support for the perpetrators of the murders and requested that the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and Hezbollah be considered terrorist groups.
The European Parliament requested a “thorough investigation” into the participation of Qatar and Russia. They called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of the hostages held hostage by the Hamas terrorist organization. Furthermore, the resolution expressed solidarity with the “victims and families” of the disappeared.
The point that raised the most controversy in the sector opposed to the text was the one that defended Israel’s “right to self-defense”, although it was limited by respect for International Humanitarian Law. Finally, the “two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine that was agreed in 1967 was defended.
Israeli media criticizes Rego
The Israeli media The Times of Israel has declared in an article published this Monday that the new Minister of Youth and Children of the Sánchez Government “justified the 1,200 murders of Israelis by Hamas.” In addition, she paraphrased a non-profit organization, Fighting Online Antisemitism, which asked the President of the Government to “fire” the minister for “her support for terrorism.”
Specifically, the article criticizes a message that Sira Rego published on her social networks on the same day that the Hamas attacks on Israel took place. “Palestine has the right to resist after decades of occupation, apartheid and exile,” wrote the Valencian politician. “In the face of those who today defend returning to collective punishment by bombing the Gaza Strip, it is urgent to defend international law,” declared Rego. A clear opposition to those who defended Israel’s right to self-defense.
#Palestine has the right to resist after decades of occupation, apartheid and exile.
Faced with those who today defend returning to collective punishment by bombing the Gaza Strip, it is urgent to defend international law.
The only solution is the end of the occupation. pic.twitter.com/hI2kLNiKvl
— Sira Rego🔻🇵🇸 (@sirarego) October 7, 2023
All of this explodes at a key moment in relations between Spain and Israel. This Thursday, Pedro Sánchez will travel to the Hebrew country to have a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of the Jewish State, and its president, Isaac Herzog. Additionally, he will visit the leader of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in the West Bank.
It will be the president’s first international trip in this legislature, which always has a symbolic meaning. A meeting that has become tense after the appointment of Minister Sira Rego and after the first announcement in her investiture debate was that “she is going to work in Europe and, of course, in Spain to recognize the Palestinian State.” .
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations
The spokesperson for Izquierda Unida has Palestinian roots, since her father is a native of there, and she also lived near the Gaza Strip during her childhood. Rego had already expressed her support for Palestine. On July 1, 2020, the new minister demonstrated alongside the European parliamentarian of Izquierda Unida, Manuel Pineda, against what they called the “illegal annexation of the West Bank by Israel”, as reported by OKDIARIO. At that event, one of the main speakers defended the “armed struggle” and showed his support for the Palestinian terrorists who are imprisoned.
#Minister #Regos #justification #Hamas #terrorism #strains #Sánchezs #meeting #Netanyahu
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