The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE) condemned the decision by the Barcelona city council to sever ties with its twin city Tel Aviv and to break relations with Israel.
“With the sole support of 4,000 signatures, by decree and without debate, the Government Commission of the Barcelona City Council has taken this decision that represents neither in form nor in substance what Barcelona and its citizens are,” the FCJE said in a statement.
It added that in recent weeks, “pressure has been growing around the Jewish communities with this campaign by the Barcelona City Council.”
The FCJE, the umbrella group which represents Spain’s Jewish communities, sent an open letter to Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau expressing the concern of the community at the city’s decision.
“Regardless of the government of the city of Tel Aviv, the Barcelona City Council has not taken into account that it is a city that is an example of coexistence, defense of freedoms, protection of minorities and where its citizens live in peace regardless of their origin,” FJCE said. “We see with great concern how only a single city, a single country in the world is having its actions and legitimacy questioned.”
The organization charged that the decision “has nothing to do with politics or human rights or peace” but was an example of “sophisticated antisemitism.”
“We appeal to the citizens of Barcelona to continue working for coexistence and against antisemitism in whatever form it manifests itself,” the FCJE added.
Colau announced on Wednesday that she is suspending all of the city’s ties with Israel.
“At the request of more than 100 entities and thousands of Barcelona neighbors, I have just communicated to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu that we suspend institutional relations with the State of Israel due to the repeated violations of human rights of the Palestinian population and non-compliance with United Nations resolutions,” she wrote on Facebook in Spanish, and on Instagram.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)