Spain Transport Minister Faces Backlash Over 'Israeli Brats' Remark on Ejected French Jewish Teens

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente faced widespread backlash after referring to a group of French Jewish teenagers removed from a Vueling flight as "Israeli brats," conflating their Jewish identity with Israeli nationality. The teenagers were ejected from the flight from Valencia to Paris due to alleged disruptive behavior, including tampering with emergency equipment and interrupting safety demonstrations, according to Vueling and Spanish authorities. However, eyewitness accounts and Jewish organizations, including Yad Vashem, challenged the airline's justification and condemned Puente's remarks as antisemitic, emphasizing that the youths were French nationals and urging respect from public officials. The incident has sparked international outrage, formal complaints, and investigations by Spanish and French authorities amid a broader context of rising antisemitic incidents in Europe. The Jewish group involved alleged mistreatment, including the rough arrest of the camp director, and criticized the airline's and authorities' actions as discriminatory. Puente's comments intensified scrutiny of the event, highlighting tensions around nationality, religion, and antisemitism in Spain and Europe.