MADRID – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday announced nine measures against Israel, including an arms embargo and a ban on military equipment transiting through Spain, in a bid “to stop the genocide in Gaza”.
Sánchez, one of Israel’s most vocal critics in Europe, has long called to increase international pressure to push Israel to halt its military offensive in the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the October 2023 attack.
While the Spanish leader stated his “unwavering” support for both “Israel’s right to security and its right to exist,” in a televised address on Monday, he said sanctions are necessary in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy of “starving an entire population.”
Spain has decided to go one step further, Sánchez said, legally consolidating a “permanent ban” on imports and exports of arms, ammunition, and military equipment to Israel. Madrid is set to ban aircraft and ships carrying military equipment from transiting through the country.
The Spanish PM further announced a ban on individuals “directly participating in the genocide” in Gaza from entering Spain, and on exports originating from illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories.
Madrid will limit consular services provided to Spanish citizens residing in occupied territories in the West Bank and announced more cooperation with the Palestinian Authority in areas of agriculture, health, and security.
Spain will also provide an additional €10 million to UN aid agency UNRWA and increase humanitarian aid for Gaza by €50 million in 2026.
The measure will be implemented “immediately”, Sánchez said. Before that, the minister’s council which is meeting on Tuesday needs to approve them.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called “Sánchez’s anti-Israel policy” an attempt “to divert attention from serious corruption scandals by launching a relentless anti-Israel and anti-Semitic campaign” and said Tel Aviv will bar high-ranking Spanish ministers from entering Israel.
The prime minister’s office and the Israeli embassy in Madrid did not reply to Euractiv’s request for comment at the time of publication.
(vib)
