Catalunya is launching a new programme to welcome Palestinians temporarily to the region. President Salvador Illa announced the Catalunya Casa d’Acollida Palestina initiative during his speech in the Catalan Parliament’s General Policy Debate on Tuesday.
The programme will provide temporary stays for Palestinian students, hospital patients and professionals, amongst others. It aims to coordinate all existing initiatives under one network, including university refugee programmes, hospital emergencies and temporary protection schemes.
Meanwhile, the scheme will guarantee accommodation, social support, academic continuity and community integration spaces. Illa said the programme will work with the University of Barcelona Foundation, the Catalan Refugee Aid Commission, municipalities, cultural organisations and professional bodies.
Illa criticised what he called the “unjustified massacre” that began two years ago with Hamas’s terrorist attack, as well as what he described as genocide by the Israeli government against Palestinians. He demanded a real ceasefire, humanitarian aid guarantees and a fair peace agreement allowing Israel and Palestine to coexist as separate states.
The Catalan president also committed to investing 2 billion euros in the 2026 budget through the Catalan Cooperation Agency. Catalunya will intensify humanitarian aid to Gaza and, when possible, support reconstruction projects for essential services like hospitals and schools in the Strip.
If you want news on a more convenient platform, you can follow us on Reddit, X or our WhatsApp broadcast channel.
