Since Israel started its disastrous war with Gaza as a retaliation for the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Spain has been supporting the Palestinians, a move that has invited stern criticism from Binyamin Netanyahu. Spain’s left-wing coalition government has adopted a foreign policy distinct from many other European countries, especially regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
That party includes the Spanish Communist Party and also forms the left-wing coalition, Izquierda Unida (United Left), together with other progressive regional parties that support Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE). His parliamentary majority group also includes the Basque and Catalan separatist parties, as well as Podemos. All of these parties support the Palestinian resistance to Israel and all decolonization efforts, albeit in different ways and to varying degrees.
Spain has a diplomatic history with Palestine; its partial suspension of arms exports to Israel, its support for the genocide case against Israel that South Africa brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 2024, and its recognition of the state of Palestine on May 28, 2024, are all products of more than just the current political climate.
Spain’s political landscape supports Palestine
Compared to other Western European nations, Spain’s modern diplomatic relations with Israel began somewhat later. Spain only officially recognized Israel in 1986 and established diplomatic relations with the country as the last Western European country to do so. This retardation was because of the diplomatic isolationism by Spain after World War II as run by the Franco regime, which preferred to maintain ties with the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, as opposed to Israel. Historical, cultural, and profound sympathy of Spain with Arabic countries indicated such a cautious posture of the Spanish state toward Israel for many years.
Spain has been associated with helping Palestinian people to find self-determination and independence. This type of support is based on a greater diplomatic heritage and sensitivity to the decolonization causes. Spain became the most recent country in a worldwide sweep accorded to Palestinian statehood in a historic move that happened on May 28, 2024, when it officially recognized the state of Palestine, together with countries such as Norway and Ireland.
The left-wing coalition government of Spain, when led by Prime Minister Pedro S D raz S msvez of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), is highly influential in shaping the foreign policy of Spain on Israel and Palestine. A coalition of regional forces includes Basque and Catalan separatists, Podemos (who used to be in government), and Sumar (consisting of the United Left and the Spanish Communist Party). These organizations share the same ideas to back the Palestinian rights and oppose the Israeli actions, which they consider colonial or oppressive acts. This political orientation of this coalition has led to tough, vocal advocacy of Palestine, which is the complete opposite of the more circumspect or balanced position of many other European governments.
Spain’s peace vision and Palestine’s official recognition
It was a great moment in history as Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024. Besides being an issue of historical justice, Prime Minister Pedro S Sanchez emphasized that this was the condition before a peaceful two-state solution could be achieved. Spain will also see a sustainable Palestinian state in the form of a unified Palestinian nation under the rule of law through the Palestinian National Authority, with East Jerusalem as the Israeli capital in a corridor that links the West Bank and Gaza. The internationally agreed-upon road map for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian issue is in line with this aim.
Spain has been emphatic in demonstrating that it is on the side of the Palestinians, who are victims of the conflict since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023 following the Hamas attacks. Prime Minister Sánchez has been firm on asserting that Spain does not conduct business with such a nation and condemned Israeli military action, terming Israel a genocidal state. Such a discourse implies that the government was supporting Palestinian citizens who were affected by the conflict, and this is a significant step up in speaking against Israel on the part of Spain.
Moreover, Spain has also been participating actively in providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza. In 2023, Spain also tripled the amount of aid it gave Palestine, with over 50 million euros in collaboration and humanitarian grants. In the same manner, Spain has demonstrated its concern to alleviate the humanitarian condition occasioned by the fighting by transporting food and other needs to the civilian population of Gaza through Spanish military aircraft.
Diplomacy and global activism
Spain has been actively supporting the global efforts that resulted in ending the violence in Gaza and achieving a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In May 2025, European, Muslim, and Latin American countries, as well as International organizations representatives gathered in Madrid, Spain, to discuss certain measures towards achieving a two-state solution and how to end the violence and siege on Gaza. The foreign minister of Spain, José Manuel Albares, has urged the suspension of the EU-Israel trade deal, imposing an arms embargo on Israel, which extends to the whole EU, and applying sanctions against the elements that are foiling the peace process.
In keeping with its moral and legal censure of Israeli activities in Gaza, Spain also backs South Africa’s October 2024 submission of a genocide complaint against Israel to the International Court of Justice.
Arms contracts and trade relations
The relations between Spain and Israel have many paradoxes, although the government puts a lot of rhetoric and a pro-Palestinian position. Spain is reported to have issued 46 contracts worth more than a billion euros to Israeli arms industries since the beginning of the Gaza war, including deals on missiles and rocket launchers. This has been criticized and accused that the administration has not lived up to their word of halting the arms trade with Israel, and showed disagreements between political rhetoric and defense or economic motives.
Once the war started, the arms deals were halted by Prime Minister Siles, but the presence of the contract has raised concerns over the coherence of any country in its policy and pseudo dilemmas of trying to find a balance between the political and humanitarian commitment and economic rapport.
Support for Palestine while maintaining relations with Israel
Diplomatic relations have not been severed between the Spanish and Israeli governments despite the government having come clean about its stand on the Palestinian issue by siding with their rights as well as criticizing the Israeli military action. Spain still supports peace negotiations and the two-state solution and belongs to the level of diplomacy and politics in Israel. According to Spanish officials, they are only criticizing specific actions and certain policies of the state of Israel and not the state in itself.
Also, Spain is in support of the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate body to represent the people of Palestine and condemns the activities of Hamas to be those of a terrorist organization. This middle ground aims at encouraging freedom of communication and peaceful coexistence between the two governments and balancing with the support of the Palestinians.
Public opinion and civil society in Spain
Historical ties, progressive political trends, and overall concerns of human rights usually lead the Spanish people usually have a strong attitude towards the Palestinian cause. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are common, and the Spanish cultural organizations and media have at times supported Palestine. They include such a pro-Palestinian message that the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE sent out during the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Spanish think tanks, civil society organizations, and human rights organizations have overwhelmingly supported the government’s position, which requires additional international pressure on Israel, lifting the siege, and the military activities in Gaza.
In a nutshell, the possible pro-Palestinian premise is great in Spain now, with the new war in Gaza, as well as the fact that the government recognized the Palestinians as an official state. The leftist government coalition in Spain has stated categorically that it does not agree with the Israeli military’s hawkish policies, is on the humanitarian side of the Palestinians, and is trying hard to impose a two-state solution at the diplomatic level. Spain is at the same time spreading peace and dialogue, and maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel.
