Israel bars Spanish journalist over 'genocide' term, BDS support

Israel has taken a firm stance against a Spanish journalist, Queralt Castillo Cerezuela, by barring her entry into the country and revoking her press permit. The Ministry of Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism declared Castillo Cerezuela persona non grata, citing her alleged antisemitic activities, most notably her use of the term "genocide" to describe Israel's military operations in Gaza since October 2023.

According to Avi Cohen Skelly, the Director General of the Ministry, Castillo Cerezuela's alleged offenses include retweeting content from pro-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) groups, expressing support for the movement, and asserting that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The ministry also pointed to her expressed hope for the end of the "Zionist regime" as further evidence of her supposed antisemitism.

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retweeting content of boycott groups (to Israel), such as the Madrid branch of the BDS, expressing support for this movement and stating that Israel is committing 'genocide' in Gaza.

The ministry presented nine instances as proof of Castillo Cerezuela's alleged bias, which primarily involve her characterization of the Israeli offensive as a "genocide," "barbarity," or "massacre." Her comparisons of the situation in Gaza to the Holocaust were also cited as grounds for the ban. The Diaspora Affairs Minister, Amichai Shikli, went as far as to label Spain as a "hotbed of antisemitism," vowing to continue the fight against BDS supporters.

Castillo Cerezuela, who specializes in international politics, human rights, and immigration, has contributed to several Spanish media outlets. The BDS movement, which gained prominence following the October 7th attacks, advocates for non-violent pressure on Israel through boycotts, divestment, and sanctions to end its occupation of the West Bank and its offensive in Gaza. Israel's decision reflects its increasingly stringent approach to criticism, particularly concerning the conflict in Gaza, and its efforts to counter narratives it deems hostile.

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Spain is a hotbed of antisemitism.