ACOM alerts the U.S. Embassy in Spain about antisemitic positions that delegitimize and seek the destruction of Israel

ACOM submits to the Embassy of the United States a documented dossier on public positions of prominent Spanish figures that violate the IHRA definition of antisemitism and contradict the visa policy of the U.S. Administration

The Association Acción y Comunicación sobre Oriente Medio (ACOM) has formally submitted today to the Embassy of the United States in Spain a comprehensive dossier compiling the public positions repeatedly expressed by journalist Guillermo Fesser, filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, and actor Javier Bardem regarding the State of Israel and the conflict in Gaza.

The document highlights how these three prominent figures from Spanish culture and journalism have adopted a discourse that systematically criticizes Israel through the use of legally grave terms such as “genocide”, “extermination”, “Jewish Nazi”, “crimes against humanity” and “ethnic cleansing”, while demanding total isolation measures against the Jewish State (breaking of diplomatic and commercial relations, arms embargoes and institutional boycotts). It also documents explicit expressions of support for individuals convicted by courts for their direct involvement in terrorist acts.

These positions may constitute manifestations of antisemitism according to the working definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), officially endorsed by both the United States and Spain as member states. In particular, they align with the IHRA example of “drawing comparisons between contemporary Israeli policy and that of the Nazis”, as illustrated by the explicit reference to members of the Israeli government as “Jewish Nazis” who support the “extermination of the Palestinian people”.

Such statements stand in clear contradiction with the visa policy announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has declared that the United States will not admit or allow to remain in its territory individuals who promote hatred against the Jewish community or engage in antisemitic conduct. Rubio has repeatedly emphasized that visas are not a constitutional right and has ordered enhanced social-media screening and the revocation of visas for those who create a hostile environment for Jewish students, undermine U.S. policy to combat antisemitism worldwide, or support designated terrorist organizations. These measures form part of the broader effort of the Trump Administration to protect Jewish students and combat antisemitism on campuses and beyond (the “Catch and Revoke” program, with more than 300 visas already revoked).

ACOM considers that freedom of expression cannot serve as a shield for the dissemination of narratives which, according to the very parameters of the IHRA accepted by both countries, may constitute contemporary manifestations of antisemitism.

“From ACOM we will continue to defend that the promotion of hatred and the delegitimization of Israel does not come for free in the public space or in institutions. The transatlantic relationship between Spain and the United States, based on shared democratic values, demands consistency and firmness in the face of any form of antisemitism,” declared Ángel Mas, president of ACOM.

The dossier has been prepared with rigorous documentation and publicly available sources, and is made available to the U.S. authorities for whatever assessments they deem appropriate within the framework of their sovereign migration and national security policy.

ACOM will remain vigilant and continue documenting any manifestation that threatens the memory of the Holocaust, the security of Israel and the shared fight against antisemitism.