Barcelona's famous soccer team sends Israel a message of support

Spain's FC Barcelona soccer team sent a message of support for Israel on Thursday, after Barcelona's Mayor Ada Colau ended its twin-city relationship with Tel Aviv earlier in February.

Colau cited claims that Israel is guilty of “apartheid,” as well as “flagrant and systematic violation of human rights.” 

A soccer game and a gift exchange

FC Barcelona's president Joan Laporta invited representatives of the Israeli embassy in Spain to their soccer match against Manchester United on Thursday and gifted them with official merchandise. In a ceremony held before the game, Laporta emphasized that the club intended to honor its commitment to excellent relations with the State of Israel and the Jewish people. 

Israeli diplomats presented Laporta with an Israeli flag, recognizing FC Barcelona's years of support for and friendship with Israel. 

Barcelona and Tel Aviv entered city twinship in 1998 — when both cities jointly signed a “twin city” agreement with Gaza City. Colau’s decision comes less than a year after Barcelona launched two linked campaigns — “Shalom Barcelona” and “Barcelona Connects Israel” to appeal to Jewish and Israeli tourists interested in exploring their heritage. Last summer, the city opened up the world’s first Michelin-starred kosher restaurant.

The decision also comes less than a year after Barcelona suspended a twinning relationship with St. Petersburg in protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Madrid offers to take Barcelona's place

The day after Colau announced the severing of ties, Madrid's mayor José Luís Martínez-Almeida, offered to step up as a replacement.

In a letter to Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and during a press conference on Thursday, Martínez-Almeida said the twinning is a “great opportunity to show Madrid’s commitment to strengthening relations with a democratic and a law-abiding state like Israel.”

Jackie Hajdenberg/JTA, Orge Castellano/JTA and Zvika Klein contributed to this report.