According to Albares, there are approximately 50 Spanish citizens detained in Israel who were traveling aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The Government has expressed its willingness to pay for the trip or send a plane to repatriate to Spain the Spanish citizens who were aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla and are being held in Israel, according to Foreign Affairs sources.
The Spanish Consul in Tel Aviv, Fernando López de Castro, has officially conveyed to the Israeli authorities the Executive’s willingness to bring back to Spain those citizens who “voluntarily wish to do so.”
Furthermore, the consul is in contact with the flotilla’s lawyer, who represents them on the ground. He was also in prison with the members this Friday and will be again this Sunday and “every day until they are all free,” the same sources explained.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated its support for the telephone lines available for the families of Spaniards held by Israel: the crisis room at 34 91 000 1249 and the Tel Aviv consular emergency line: +972 (0) 50577 2641.
This Saturday, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed that approximately 50 Spanish citizens are being held in Israel. They were traveling aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza and were arrested on Wednesday afternoon. He assured them that the government is working intensively for their immediate release and return to Spain “as soon as possible.”
The Foreign Minister explained, in statements to RTVE’s Channel 24 Horas, reported by Europa Press, that “lists have been compared, looking at the official lists provided by the Israeli authorities” to identify the detained Spanish citizens.
Albares emphasized that “Spanish citizens know they have the full diplomatic and consular protection” of the government and that they are “the highest priority of our embassy and consulate.”
