The Alcobendas City Council, together with the Jewish Community of Madrid and other entities, has signed an agreement to prevent anti-Jewish hatred. It is the third municipality in Madrid to join this initiative.
The Alcobendas City Council has taken a firm step in the fight against antisemitism by signing a collaboration agreement with the Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM), the European Jewish Association (EJA), and the Movement Against Intolerance (MCI). The agreement, signed this Wednesday, coincides with the commemoration of the European Day for the Victims of Hate Crimes and aims to equip the municipality with tools to prevent and combat anti-Jewish hatred.
The Mayor of Alcobendas, Rocío García Alcántara, highlighted on social media after the event that "we signed an agreement to prevent and combat antisemitism in all its forms. Respect. Inclusion. And coexistence. Alcobendas proudly joins the values of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), signed by 45 countries and over 1,000 international organizations."
With this adherence, Alcobendas becomes the third municipality in the Community of Madrid to join this initiative, after Torrelodones and Hoyo de Manzanares made the same decision in recent weeks. The project's promoters believe that municipalities are the first institutional line against hate speech and discrimination.
Participants in the signing included the president of the Jewish Community of Madrid, Estrella Bengio —who will leave the position in September after the upcoming elections of the institution—, the member of the Antisemitism Commission Rafael Benatar, and the head of Public Affairs of the EJA in Spain, Juan Caldés.
Alcobendas is home to the Jewish school "Ibn Gabirol," the only institution of its kind in the region, and has a community of several hundred Madrid and Israeli Jews. This circumstance has motivated the council to reinforce its commitment to coexistence and inclusion.
The initiative is part of a strategy promoted by the CJM, the EJA, and the MCI to extend the adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism among Spanish public administrations. This definition, approved by consensus in 2016, is the main international reference for identifying contemporary manifestations of antisemitism. It includes practical examples that help distinguish between legitimate criticism of the State of Israel and expressions that cross the line into antisemitism.
The agreement stipulates that the Alcobendas City Council will have an institutional framework for action to prevent discriminatory behavior, promote training programs, foster inclusive policies, and strengthen coexistence among citizens of different backgrounds and beliefs. The promoters emphasize that the fight against antisemitism transcends the Jewish community itself and constitutes a defense of democratic values and human rights.
The signing is particularly significant in a context of rising antisemitic incidents in Europe, especially following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023. International organizations have warned of the increase in hate crimes directed against Jews, leading many institutions to strengthen their prevention policies.
With this adherence, Alcobendas joins a network of municipalities committed to institutional clarity and political commitment against hate speech. The initiative's leaders argue that combating antisemitism requires avoiding ambiguity and working through education and awareness. The agreement reached in Alcobendas aims to strengthen prevention at the municipal level, as the institution closest to citizens.
The residents of Alcobendas will benefit from actions arising from the agreement, which will include awareness campaigns and educational activities in schools. The City Council commits to integrating the IHRA definition into its internal protocols and collaborating with the signing entities in detecting and reporting antisemitic incidents.
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