Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a "total" arms embargo on Israel, escalating pressure on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over the killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said the decision was “further evidence of the political commitment of the government and the international leadership of Spain and the prime minister for respect for human rights," El Pais reported on Tuesday.
The embargo, announced earlier by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, goes beyond partial restrictions previously in place and includes a ban on arms exports, fuel transit, and imports of products and services from the occupied territories.
“Spain already had partial bans, such as Slovenia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, but with this measure, we are the first country to prohibit arms exports, fuel transit, and imports … paving the way for the EU,” the left-wing coalition partner Sumar said in a statement.
However, Podemos leader Ione Belarra criticised the timing, saying the move came too late.
“Arms embargoes are implemented before war crimes are committed, not with 60,000 innocent victims,” she said.
‘It is a complex issue’
The conservative opposition People’s Party (PP) left its support for the embargo “up in the air,” with parliamentary spokesperson Ester Munoz saying the party would wait to see the text of the royal decree.
Munoz warned of potential risks to Spain’s “security,” noting that “many components” used by Spanish security forces are of Israeli origin.
“I ask that it not be trivialised; it is a complex issue,” she added.
Government spokesperson and Education Minister Pilar Alegria reiterated Spain’s stance on recognising Palestine, recalling Sanchez’s remarks at the UN.
“As the prime minister underlined at the UN, recognising the state of Palestine is urgent. Spain did so in May, and now we see many countries such as France, Portugal, Canada, the UK, and Australia following suit. Spain has played a key role from the start in supporting coexistence through a two-state solution,” Alegria said.
Spain had previously unveiled a nine-point sanctions package against Israel on September 9, but delayed approval of the full arms embargo and related measures for “technical and legal reasons” until Tuesday.
