Spain's Jewish community has expressed outcry after a Madrid-based radical anti-Israel group announced it would hold a conference on Oct. 7, 2024, "celebrating" the one-year anniversary of the brutal Hamas massacre in southern Israel, in which over a thousand civilians were murdered, including women and children.
Masar Badil (Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement) plans to hold the conference in support of the Hamas terrorist organization and the "Palestinian struggle" under the antisemitic slogan "From the river to the sea," generally interpreted as a call for the destruction of Israel.
Organizers said the conference signals "a new phase of struggle against the Zionist entity," urging people to "celebrate the dawn of the glorious Oct. 7 and the sacrifices of our people in the Gaza Strip."
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain told Israel Hayom, "We are deeply concerned about the possibility of Madrid hosting an international meeting of an organization that supports terrorism on the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre. The slogan chosen for the conference has been declared antisemitic by many countries and organizations because it calls for the elimination of Israel.
"We trust that the Spanish authorities will realize this and not allow such an event, which could not be held in other European countries like Germany, for example. We believe that Madrid and other Spanish cities should continue to be places of peace and interfaith dialogue."
Founded in Spain in 2021, Masar Badil activities have gained significant momentum since Oct. 7. On the day of the onslaught, the group issued a statement supporting Hamas' actions, "All Palestinian forces, at home and abroad, stand today behind the leaders of our brave armed resistance in Palestine and with our people in occupied Palestine, until Operation Al-Aqsa Flood achieves its goals."
The group's activities in Spain are coordinated by Jaldia Abubakra, a Gaza native and Madrid resident, who recently told the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, "Israel needs to fall. This is not about Jews. They can live anywhere else in the world from where they came. Palestine belongs to our people, from the river to the sea. We should not be afraid to say this clearly."
"On Oct. 7, I felt great pride," Abubakra added. "That's why we decided to mark the first anniversary of the Al-Aqsa campaign to say that we believe in the victory it will bring."
In addition to the murders, Hamas terrorists also took over 200 Israelis hostage. Six months later, 120 remain held captive in Gaza, 44 of whom have been declared dead.
