In brief
In a significant move, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has ramped up his criticism of Israel's actions during the prolonged Israel-Hamas conflict, labeling them as acts of genocide. Spain announced plans to impose an arms embargo, increase humanitarian aid, ban fuel shipments to Israel, and restrict entry to individuals involved in the conflict. In response, Israel has prohibited two Spanish ministers from entering the country due to their political stance. The diplomatic tensions underscore Spain's increasingly vocal opposition to Israel's military operations in Gaza.
MADRID (PulseWire) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ramped up his criticism of Israel’s actions in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on Monday, prompting Israel to impose a travel ban on two left-wing Spanish ministers.
Sánchez articulated his government's intention to exert additional pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, condemning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza resulting from the military offensive.
“This is not self-defense; it’s not even an attack — it’s the extermination of a defenseless people. It violates all humanitarian laws, and the international community is failing to intervene,” Sánchez declared.
The Spanish government plans to formalize an arms embargo that it claims has been effectively in place since October 2023. The measures also include banning ships carrying fuel for the Israeli military from Spanish ports and significantly increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza to 150 million euros ($176 million) in 2026.
These actions are set to be reviewed by the Parliament for approval.
“I acknowledge that these measures alone may not halt the war crimes or invasion,” Sánchez noted, “but we hope they will apply pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to mitigate the suffering of the Palestinian population.”
In addition to the humanitarian initiatives, Sánchez pledged to increase contributions to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees and impose an embargo on products from Israeli settlements in occupied territories.
The response from the Israeli government has been swift, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accusing Sánchez of attempting to distract from his internal political issues, characterizing the Spanish administration’s moves as antisemitic. Saar confirmed that Spanish Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego would be barred from entering Israel due to their support for boycotts against the country.
The tensions stem from the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched attacks that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, primarily among civilians, and captured 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel's military actions have claimed over 64,000 Palestinian lives, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.
Spain has previously positioned itself as a proponent of Palestinian statehood, having recognized Palestinian sovereignty and sought to influence international legal proceedings against Israel.
Despite the escalating tensions, Saar downplayed the potential impact of Spain’s actions, asserting, “If they want to halt defense connections with Israel, who do you think will lose from that? We don’t depend on Spain for the protection of our land.”