Spain Summons Israeli Diplomat; 11-Country Joint Condemnation of Flotilla Interception

Spain's Foreign Ministry summoned Israel's chargé d'affaires Dana Erlich after 31 Spanish citizens were among the 175 detained flotilla activists. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel, declaring: 'Israel is once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it.' Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares signed a joint condemnation alongside counterparts from Turkey, Brazil, Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, the Maldives, South Africa, and Libya — 11 countries total. Turkey called the interception 'an act of piracy.' Solidarity protests erupted in Rome (near the Colosseum), Athens (outside the Greek foreign ministry), and Barcelona. The US backed Israel, with State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott condemning the flotilla as 'a baseless, counterproductive stunt organized by a sanctioned pro-Hamas entity.' The Israeli Foreign Ministry characterized the flotilla as 'a provocation designed to divert attention from Hamas's refusal to disarm.'