The Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation, Arancha González Laya, has proceeded to suddenly dismiss the consul general in Jerusalem, Ignacio García-Valdecasas, according to what diplomatic sources have confirmed to Europa Press, who have not wanted to specify the reasons for this dismissal.

According to 'The Diplomat', which has advanced this dismissal, this could be related to an internal investigation that would have accepted the accusations of ill-treatment made against García-Valdecasas by Consulate personnel, which he has rejected at all times.

With the dismissal of García-Valdecasas, in the position since the summer of 2019, the General Consulate in Jerusalem, which acts as a kind of 'embassy' before the Palestinian Authority, has been left in charge of the two deputies of the consul, Sofía Ruiz del Árbol and Paloma Serrano, have explained the aforementioned sources.

The departure of the consul general occurs in a complicated context. On the one hand, the Spanish Juana Ruiz has been detained since mid-April by the Israeli authorities, who accuse her of working for an illegal organization that in turn would have diverted funds to a Palestinian terrorist group, the PFLP.

Ruiz, who was arrested in the West Bank where she had lived for more than three decades, has been receiving consular support from the Consulate General in Jerusalem, although the Foreign Minister herself has also taken steps to improve her situation.

On the other hand, East Jerusalem has been the scene in recent days of violent protests and clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli security forces that have resulted in dozens of injuries..

In addition, the tension has escalated in the last few hours, with the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, which has responded by firing missiles at the coastal territory, which has left more than 20 dead.