Roz Rothstain

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — StandWithUs has decided to cancel its April 26–May 3, 2026 mission to Spain. This is a response to the Spanish government’s constant hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people and its plans to recognize a Palestinian state,  a move that would reward Hamas and the Palestinian Authority for their ongoing terrorism against Israel and its citizens.

“Hamas still has Jewish blood on its hands from the savagery of October 7th, 2023, marked by torture, rape, murder, and kidnapping. 48 innocent hostages out of the original 251 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza. In this horrific context, the Spanish government has been demonizing Israel and preparing to hand Hamas and its supporters a political victory,” said Roz Rothstein, CEO and Co-Founder of StandWithUs.

“Meanwhile, in the West Bank/Judea Samaria,  despite promises of reform, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas continues his disgraceful ‘Pay for Slay’ policy, rewarding terrorists who attack and murder Jews. Spain is giving Palestinian leaders an incentive to keep harming both Israel and their own people, instead of helping the cause of peace.”

Spain has a shameful history of persecuting its Jewish community, most notoriously through the bloody Spanish Inquisition starting in the late 1400s. During that period, Jews in Spain and Portugal were forced to convert to Christianity, flee the country, or die. Spain was also the last European country to recognize Israel’s statehood, in 1986.

Since 2022, antisemitic incidents in Spain have reportedly risen by 567%. In the aftermath of the October 7th atrocities by Hamas, the Spanish government has fanned the flames of antisemitism by falsely accusing Israelis of genocide, participating in lawfare against Israel, and seeking to impose arms embargoes that would deny the world’s only Jewish state the ability to defend itself. Spanish leaders should know better, given that they have faced terrorism by Islamist extremists on their own soil. This includes the horrific bombing of 4 Madrid trains in 2004, which led to the deaths of 191 people and injured more than 1,800.
“StandWithUs will not visit Spain under these circumstances,” Rothstein continued. “We strongly urge others to cancel all travel to Spain until its leaders abandon this dangerous course and demonstrate genuine respect for the Jewish state, its security, and its right to defend its citizens.”

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Preceding provided by StandWithUs