Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum visited Spain last week.
Hassan-Nahoum met with Sanz Otero, the Deputy Mayor of Madrid and a member of the Popular Party. They explored the possibility of formalizing their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), even as the war against Hamas rages.
Spain has been among the highest critics of Israel's efforts.
This was the first official visit following the deterioration of relations between Madrid and Jerusalem amid the Gaza war.
Hassan-Nahoum had set up a meeting in Barcelona with the local mayor and deputy mayor, but they canceled the day before with no explanation. "Sadly, the mayor of a major international city like Barcelona is not willing to sit down with me, even if it is to tell me that he does not agree with Israel's policies," Hassan-Nahoum said. "It has been very reactionary behavior on his part and a shame."
Read entire article:- (JANUARY 25, 2024)
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Related - while she was in Spain, she gave an interview to La Vanguardia
"Empathy with Israel lasted 48 hours"
How do you see the future of cooperation with the countries of the Abraham agreements?
Interestingly, this is where the key to the Hamas attack on October 7 lies. Israel was about to make peace with Saudi Arabia and that did not go well with Iran. On the other hand, I am optimistic about Abraham's agreements. If these countries have made peace with Israel, they will not change their minds, because they want the region to move towards prosperity and peace. And they know that the other option is to fall into the destruction and fundamentalism that Iran seeks. Now everything is a bit cold, they cannot show that they support Israel because the Palestinian cause is something that moves a lot in the Muslim world. But I think this continues.
How do you deal with the negative image of Israel that is being formed by the war in Gaza?
It is very difficult, because this is what Hamas wanted. What country would not have tried to dismantle a terrorist regime that has attacked them so brutally? People seem to have forgotten October 7th, all they see is Israel bombing Gaza.