Israel announces boycott of Barcelona's Mobile World Congress

The government of Israel has announced that it will boycott next year's edition of the Mobile World Congress, scheduled to take place in Barcelona in March 2026.

According to Haaretz, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi ordered the cancellation of all preparations for Israel's participation in the fair.

In a letter, Karhi cited Spain's "systematic support of Hamas," its alleged intention to recognize a "Palestinian terrorist state in the heart of Israel," and what he called "false accusations of genocide" as reasons for the boycott.

The announcement marks another escalation in the diplomatic conflict between the two countries amid Israel's war in Gaza.

It comes days after Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez unveiled measures aimed at "stopping genocide in Gaza, prosecuting its promoters, and showing support to Palestinians."

The measures, which include an arms embargo on Israeli weapons, were poorly received in Tel Aviv. PM Benjamin Netanyahu accused Sánchez of issuing a "genocidal threat" toward Israel.

The boycott of MWC also follows moves by the Barcelona city council, which in May this year approved a decree to sever relations with Israel and, last month, created a symbolic 11th district to aid Gaza.

However, part of the city council decree already prohibited Israeli expo areas and arms companies from participating in the Fira de Barcelona, where MWC takes place.

In practice, this means that Israel might have been unable to participate in the fair regardless of the boycott.

Illa urges Europe to go "much further"

Meanwhile, Catalan president Salvador Illa urged Europe to go "much further" in pressuring Israel to end what he, echoing PM Sánchez, has called the "genocide in Gaza."

The remarks came during a conference at Paris' Sciences Po University, part of his visit to the French capital to meet with Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Reacting to Ursula von der Leyen's decision to partially suspend trade agreements with Israel, Illa described the move as "just a first step."

"Europe must go much further and deploy all the pressure measures at its disposal," he said.

Former mayor Ada Colau

The Barcelona former mayor, Ada Colau, has regretted that the decision to boycott came from Israel, and not from the current city mayor, Jaume Collboni.

Colau is currently in Tunis as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an aid flotilla sailing from Barcelona to the Gaza Strip to bring humanitarian aid.

"The truth is that I am disappointed that it was Israel who said it, and not the mayor clearly saying that Israel was not welcomed in Barcelona at all, especially on the financial area," she said in an interview with the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

She also said that there is a majority of Barcelona residents who have "demonstrated against the genocide in Gaza" and that the Socialist party cannot longer avoid a firm position.