Mayor of Malaga village defends burning of Netanyahu effigy amid diplomatic row with Israel

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Mariló Narváez says local residents are more concerned by the ‘killing of children in Gaza’ than the controversy over the traditional ‘Burning of Judas’ festival ·

Alberto Gómez

Malaga

Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 16:54 | Updated 17:15h.

The mayor of El Burgo, a small village in the province of Malaga, has defended burning an effigy of Benjamin Netanyahu, following a formal diplomatic protest from the Israeli government.

On Easter Sunday, as part of the annual Quema del Judas (Burning of Judas) festival, residents of the village set fire to a seven-metre-tall figure representing the Israeli Prime Minister. The effigy, which contained approximately 14kg of fireworks, bore a sign labelling the leader a "genocide perpetrator".

The event has triggered a significant diplomatic spat. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Spanish chargé d'affaires in Tel Aviv to issue an official reprimand, describing the act as "vile anti-Semitic hatred" and blaming "systematic incitement" by the Spanish government.

Israel considers the gesture "a regrettable display of anti-Semitic hatred".

However, the mayor of El Burgo, María Dolores Narváez, has dismissed the accusations, insisting the event was intended as a symbol of peace and a protest against the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

"We are more concerned about the killing of children in Gaza than this controversy," the mayor stated. She explained that the local council chooses a figure each year to represent "evil" or a negative event from the previous year, which is then destroyed to symbolise a fresh start. In 2025, the figure chosen for the burning was President Donald Trump.

Narváez added that the message of the 2026 burning was intended to be "No to war, no to genocide," and expressed surprise that a local tradition with over 80 years of history had been "taken out of context" on the international stage.

Heightened friction

The incident comes at a time of heightened friction between Madrid and Tel Aviv. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Israel's complaints by rejecting any "insidious accusations" of anti-Semitism, asserting that Spain is firmly committed to fighting all forms of discrimination.

In El Burgo, a municipality in Malaga of around 1,800 residents, the tradition remains a central part of the local calendar. Local supporters of the event pointed out that the "Judas" is never given a formal name by the town hall, leaving the interpretation to the public, though the resemblance to the Israeli leader was unmistakable.

While the Israeli government views the act as a manifestation of hate, the mayor remains steadfast, arguing that the village’s right to satirical protest is a reflection of local sentiment regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.