The government closes its office in Israel due to the situation in Gaza.

BarcelonaThe government will close Acción's commercial office in Tel Aviv, Israel. The morning of Catalunya Ràdio And the ARA has been able to confirm that this is what Comuns has agreed with the executive in light of the situation in Gaza, where the blockade of any type of humanitarian aid by Israel has added to the months of indiscriminate killings against the Palestinian civilian population, with nearly 54,000 deaths counted so far. Early this Wednesday morning, the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, and the leader of Comunes in the Parliament, Jéssica Albiach, met in the Parliament to formalize the agreement.

"The question was why hadn't it been done before? What else was going to happen? If not now, when?" Albiach asked in a press conference after the meeting. The Comuns leader explained that the closure of this office will be "immediate" and will be extended as long as the "massacre" in the Gaza Strip lasts. CUP MP Laia Estrada, for her part, welcomed the decision, but accused the government of being late: "Genocide means breaking off political and commercial relations with the genocidal state." "The images we're seeing are shocking, and the government made the decision when it should have," Isla retorted during the parliamentary session.

In fact, the government's move comes just the day after the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) opened the door to processing a Sumar initiative in the Congress of Deputies. in favor of an arms embargo on IsraelPressure on Israel also came this Tuesday from the European Union, which announced that would review the association agreement with that state if Benjamin Netanyahu's government does not comply with its human rights obligations in Gaza

On the other hand, Junts has criticized the government's decision, and former president of the Generalitat (Catalan government) Carles Puigdemont has described it as a "serious error." "It shows that the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) is only interested in holding power." The party's spokesperson, Josep Rius, stated in a media address that "it will not serve to resolve the serious conflict" and will "weaken Catalonia's international projection" and "harm" businesses. "If they were consistent, they should propose closing the embassy, the consulate, or the trade delegations" of ERC (Republic of Catalonia). Oriol Junqueras also did not applaud the decision because he sees an "excessive aestheticism," he stated in an interview on Catalunya Ràdio. In this sense, he defended measures in the military and armament fields as "much more effective." with their silence or inaction," ERC added in a later statement.

The PP also criticized the measure because they believe that "foreign policy is in the hands of the far left," according to the spokesperson in the Parliament, Juan Fernández. Aliança Catalana received the decision "with bewilderment" and the 'ha, la' Orriols, displayed an Israeli flag from the Parliament's press room

A few days after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the office, which supports Catalan companies operating with Israel, reduced its activity "to a minimum," according to sources from Acció, when consulted by ARA. They assert that during this year and a half, it has provided support to companies on the ground and helped them with logistical issues when required, acting as a point of support during a time of armed conflict, but that it has no longer sought new clients or organized events.

The Generalitat (Catalan Government) had maintained the office in Tel Aviv, linked to the Department of Business, for ten years. In fact, on April 9, the Minister of Business, Miquel Sàmper, himself defended maintaining this Accion office in Israel from the Parliamentary plenary session: "Closing it does not fit what we need [...]. Accion in Tel Aviv is a minimal office, a technical office without political or institutional representation." The government, on the other hand, has so far ruled out opening a branch in Israel. Juntos had attempted to do so when Victoria Alsina led the Foreign Ministry, but ERC, which headed the government with President Pere Aragonès, put a stop to it. The PSC, with the outbreak of the war, has also not revived its idea.

The closure of the Acción office was a demand of pro-Palestinian organizations in Catalonia. The Novact Institute of Nonviolence and the Coalition Enough Complicity with Israel filed a formal complaint a few days ago with the Catalan Ombudsman against the Generalitat regarding the Acción office, and this Wednesday the organization applauded the government's announcement. "We welcome the announcement, but it comes 10 years late. It should never have opened," said Alys Samson, a member of this organization. Speaking at the Generalitat Palace, Samson said that the groups will be "vigilant" to ensure that the closure is enforced and called for an end to "all relations" with Israel.