ECLJ on Mission in Madrid To Support Israeli Families of Hamas Hostages During Holocaust Remembrance Day

On January 25–26, ACLJ’s international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), led a new mission in support of the Israeli families of Hamas hostages. With a delegation of survivors of October 7 and relatives of Hamas hostages, the ECLJ organized a series of high-level meetings in Madrid, Spain. This mission is all the more necessary since part of the current Spanish government, which includes ministers from the extreme Left, supports Hamas.

The delegation was able to give evidence of the Hamas atrocities to Spain’s political leaders and, more widely, in the Spanish press. Testimonies of rape and bestial murders were particularly horrifying. A young girl who survived the attack at the festival was only saved by the fact that she lost consciousness after several bodies fell on top of her. Her fiancé was kidnapped, while two of her relatives were killed alongside her.

The delegation met at length with Francina Armengol, Socialist President of the Spanish Parliament and third person in the State; with Alberto Núez Feijóo, President of the main opposition party, the Partido Popular; with a group of Partido Popular Members of Parliament (MP) led by Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo; with the conservative VOX parliamentary group; and with Hana Jalloul, Socialist MP of Lebanese origin, and close advisor to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The delegation was also invited to take part in an important event at the Spanish Senate on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The delegation was also asked to meet with members of civil society, including leaders of associations for victims of terrorism, leaders of the local Jewish community, and judges and lawyers specializing in international humanitarian law and the International Criminal Court.

The delegation received a remarkable welcome, including from Socialist MPs. Several MPs were moved to tears by these testimonies and promised to act, particularly regarding Qatar. Every year, Qatar pays $350 million to Hamas and shelters and protects its leaders. At the same time, Qatar is investing massively in Europe to acquire cultural and political influence. It not only buys soccer clubs but also media outlets and even politicians, as revealed by Qatargate. Spain is particularly exposed to Qatar’s entryism. We agreed that Europe should denounce Qatar’s complicity and duplicity with Hamas.

On several occasions, political figures have referred to the threat of Islamist terrorism in Europe, while relatives of hostages have said: “Today it’s us, tomorrow it’ll be you.”

Much of the Spanish press relayed these testimonies.

We have some hope that the hostages will be released soon, as high representatives of Qatar, the U.S., Egypt, and Israel will meet in Paris.