Barcelona’s city council held a vote rejecting left-wing Mayor Ada Colau’s stated intention last week to un-twin the city with Tel Aviv and cut ties with Israel, according to the Times of Israel.
But the vote was only symbolic. Council members do not have the power to veto Colau’s decision.
The order to remove the city’s twinning with Tel Aviv was only supported by members of the mayor's party.
A second proposal, to increase ties between Barcelona and pro-Palestinian organizations, was also voted down by all councillors except Colau’s party.
Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, accused Colau’s actions of having a “significant stench of antisemitism.”
Last week, Colau announced that she is suspending all of Barcelona’s ties with Israel, adding that the city will maintain relations with “Israeli and Palestinian entities that continue to work for peace and against apartheid.”
Lior Haiat, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to Barcelona’s decision in a post on Twitter. He called the move “an unfortunate decision that stands in complete contrast to the position of the majority of the residents of Barcelona and their representatives in the city council.”
“The decision gives support to extremists, terrorist organizations and anti-Semitism, and impairs the interests of the residents of Barcelona,” added Haiat.