Israel bars Spanish journalist over ‘genocide’ remarks, boycott content

Israel has barred Spanish journalist Queralt Castillo Cerezuela from entering the country over her use of terms such as “genocide,” Spanish and Israeli media reported Thursday.

Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism recommended blocking her entry over her social media activity, including sharing content from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, according to a statement cited by Spanish news agency EFE.

The ministry also cited several examples of her reporting and online activity, including her use of terms such as “genocide,” “barbarity” and “massacre” to describe Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

Castillo Cerezuela is a Spanish journalist based in Greece, covering international politics, human rights and migration, and has contributed to outlets including El Diario and El Salto.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said the move reflects a broader policy of denying entry to individuals deemed hostile to the country.

“We will continue to fight antisemitism and BDS supporters,” he said in the statement, adding that “Spain is a powerhouse of antisemitism.”

Castillo Cerezuela’s social media accounts appear to have been deleted.

This year, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has also barred dozens of senior Turkish figures for similar reasons, and moved to bar New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, from entering the country over her pro-Palestinian social media activity.