An online map identifying Jewish- and Israeli-linked businesses in the Catalonia region of Spain was removed this week after widespread condemnation from Jewish organizations, human-rights groups, and European Jewish leaders.
The project, titled “Barcelonaz,” appeared on the French-hosted mapping platform GoGoCart and described itself as “a collaborative map of the Zionist economy in Barcelona.” The map listed more than 150 businesses, schools, and organizations, publicly labeling them as “Zionist.”
The backlash was swift.
Jewish groups warned that the project crossed a dangerous historical line—one that Europe has seen before.
“The mapping and boycotting of Jewish businesses in Catalonia is an echo of some of the darkest chapters in history, including the prelude to the Holocaust in Nazi Germany,”
said Shannon Seban, Director of European Affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
Multiple organizations—including the Jewish Community of Barcelona, ACOM, the European Jewish Congress, and CAM—petitioned GoGoCart to remove the map. By Friday afternoon, the platform complied, taking the project offline. Investigations into who created and promoted the map are ongoing.
When “Labeling” Becomes Targeting
Jewish leaders stressed that this was not a neutral act of political expression, but a form of collective targeting that places individuals and families at risk.
“The organizers of this initiative put a target on the backs of Spanish Jews, at a time when Jews are being hunted across the globe,”
Seban warned, adding that such actions amount to “clear incitement to violence.”
Her statement referenced recent antisemitic violence abroad, underscoring the climate in which such a map appeared. Naming and mapping Jewish businesses—regardless of political framing—has historically preceded boycotts, intimidation, vandalism, and far worse.
While the site has been removed, Jewish organizations say the damage is not erased simply by deleting a webpage. The mindset behind it remains.
A Wider European Context
The controversy did not emerge in a vacuum.
Since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Spain has taken an increasingly confrontational stance toward Israel, dismantling long-standing diplomatic and economic cooperation.
Under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain has:
Publicly accused Israel of “extermination” and “genocide”
Recognized a Palestinian state in coordination with Ireland and Norway
Applied to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice
Imposed a weapons embargo on Israel
Blocked Israeli goods from Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, and eastern Jerusalem
Critics argue that this political climate has emboldened grassroots initiatives that blur the line between opposition to Israeli policy and hostility toward Jews themselves.
The “Barcelonaz” map, they say, is a symptom of that erosion.
Why This Should Concern Christians
For Christians who love Israel and cherish Judeo-Christian values, this incident raises urgent questions.
History shows that antisemitism often begins with words, lists, and labels—long before it escalates into violence. Scripture repeatedly warns against singling out a people for collective blame, and calls God’s people to stand against injustice, not participate in it.
Maps like this do not promote peace. They revive memories Europe once swore never to repeat.
The removal of the map is a necessary step—but vigilance remains essential.
Source:
Adapted from reporting by Zev Stub, The Times of Israel, January 5, 2026.
