Madrid (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Monday that Spain will intensify its stance against Israel by prohibiting ships and aircraft destined for Israel that carry weapons from docking at Spanish ports or entering Spanish airspace.
Several European countries have recently mandated, or are looking to impose sanctions on Israel, primarily concerning its actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The EU has also explored several different forms of sanctions regimes, including applying travel bans, an asset freeze, arms embargoes, stopping trade and research funding agreements with Israel, or targeting Israeli companies involved in settlements.
What measures has Pedro Sanchez announced against Israel?
Pedro Sanchez announced that Spain will enhance support for the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, and will implement an embargo on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“We hope that (the measures) will serve to add pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to alleviate some of the suffering that the Palestinian population is enduring,”
Sanchez said in a public address aired on local TV. Spain will also prohibit anyone who has partaken directly in what Sanchez qualified as “genocide” from entering the nation.
How has Israel responded to Spain’s new embargo?
On the other hand, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated on Monday that Sanchez was attempting to shift public focus away from his internal corruption scandals and described his measures as “antisemitic”.
Israel responded by banning Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego, both from the far-left junior coalition partner Sumar, from entering Israel.
Spain’s steps are part of wider attempts by the government to pressure Israel diplomatically and economically, reflecting Madrid’s fierce opposition to Israeli policies toward Palestinians. Spain’s aims also include promoting suspension of the EU-Israel cooperation agreement, which has cause friction with Israel in the diplomatic sphere.
How significant is the Spanish parliament’s weapons embargo vote?
Moreover, on May 26, 2025, Spain’s Parliament passed a non-binding motion calling for the government to impose a complete weapons embargo on Israel in reaction to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The motion was passed by 176 members of parliament belonging mostly to leftist and opposition political parties, including the Sumar alliance, Podemos, and the Republican Left of Catalonia, while the conservative political party members voted against it. The motion called for an immediate ban on exporting military-related equipment to Israel, which included helmets, vests, fuel or anything that could be related to military.
