Spain’s Catalonia to close trade office in Tel Aviv to protest Gaza offensive

OVIEDO, Spain

The government of the Spanish region of Catalonia announced Wednesday that it is shutting down its trade and investment office in Tel Aviv in response to Israel’s renewed offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The office, opened 10 years ago, will cease operations immediately and is expected to be non-operational by the end of the day, the government said in a statement.

The move is largely symbolic since the office suspended all promotional and business missions in the region after attacks on Gaza began. It had continued to function in a limited capacity without any political representation.

The decision, made by the Socialist-led Catalan government in agreement with the left-wing group Comuns, drew criticism from Carles Puigdemont, leader of the region’s main opposition party.

"A serious mistake … Housing, taxation, tourism, industry, foreign relations ... all sacrificed in the name of clinging to power and completing the strategy of dismantling Catalonia, making it small, mediocre, irrelevant, silent, still,” he said on X.

The closure comes as Western nations increasingly use trade pressure in response to Israel’s intensified military campaign and blockade in Gaza.

The UK on Tuesday paused trade talks with Israel, while the EU announced it would review its Association Agreement with the country.

Earlier, the UK, France and Canada had threatened “concrete actions" against Israel if it continues an "egregious" expansion of military operations in Gaza.

On Tuesday, the UN said no aid had been distributed in Gaza and that 14,000 babies were at risk of dying within 48 hours without life-saving food and supplements.

The death toll in Israel's attacks on Gaza since October 2023 has crossed 53,000.