The Lawfare Project has achieved a major victory in the fight against antisemitism, stemming from its lawsuit against the former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, which alleges that she undertook illegal discriminatory measures targeting Israel.
In February, Colau officially severed Barcelona’s relations with Israel, including the 25-year-long “sister city” relationship between Barcelona and Tel Aviv.
Colau cited “repeated violations of human rights of the Palestinian population and non-compliance with United Nations resolutions” as justification for her boycott of the Jewish state.
Why is the former mayor of Barcelona being sued?
Pro-Israel and Jewish organizations immediately condemned the mayor’s decision, including the Lawfare Project, an organization dedicated to protecting the civil and human rights of Jewish people worldwide through legal action.
The Lawfare Project filed a lawsuit in April that challenged Colau’s suspension of relations with Israel and all its institutions. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Barcelona Institute for Dialogue with Israel, a local charity.
“The decision by Mayor Collboni to respect the rule of law and restore relations with Israel and cooperation with Tel Aviv corrects Ms. Colau’s complete abuse of power to engage in a bigoted and partisan campaign targeting the Jewish people,” said Brooke Goldstein, founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project.
“This shows the importance of using the legal system to fight to uphold our rights to be free of discrimination, including antisemitic campaigns that attack Israel by using false, racist allegations.”
“I am proud of the work our team accomplished by securing this victory, and we l remain vigilant in our fight to defend the rights of the Jewish community around the world. Mayor Collboni should visit Israel to better appreciate the diversity and strength of the indigenous homeland of the Jewish people, and to once and for all put an end to the hatred that stems from ignorance about our democratic values.”
Following The Lawfare Project’s successful lawsuit, Colau was voted out of office and the new mayor, Jaume Collboni, reversed her actions and restored relations with sister city Tel Aviv and with Israel.