Barcelona mayor announces suspension of ties with Tel Aviv

The mayor of the Spanish city of Barcelona has announced the suspension of ties with Tel Aviv over Israel's violation of Palestinian people's rights in a "systematic" manner.

Ada Colau announced the decision in a letter to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She stressed that the city would suspend relations until Israel ended the “systematic violation of the people of Palestine’s human rights.”

According to the mayor, the decision was made after 100 groups and more than 4,000 residents had signed a request to break relations with the occupying regime.

Back in 1998, Barcelona, Tel Aviv and Gaza City had signed a friendship and cooperation agreement.

Palestine welcomes decision

The Palestinian foreign ministry welcomed Barcelona's decision, calling on other cities to follow suit and take similar steps.

It noted that such measures will put pressure on the Israeli regime to stop its violations and crimes against the Palestinian people, their land, sanctities, and rights, and to put an end to all its illegal unilateral measures that undermine peace opportunities, Wafa News Agency reported.

The decision has also been hailed by other pro-Palestinian groups including the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC).

Meanwhile, the decision has drawn condemnation from Israeli officials who tried to link the move to anti-semitism. Lior Haiat, a spokesperson of the Israeli foreign ministry, claimed on Twitter the decision gives "support to extremists, terrorist organizations and anti-semitism."

MG