Spain's parliament approved a non-binding motion urging the government to impose an arms embargo on Israel, Middle East Monitor reported.
The measure, which was approved on Tuesday, comes in response to Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza and was passed by a narrow vote of 176-171.
Introduced by the leftist Sumar alliance, a member of the ruling coalition, along with opposition parties Podemos and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), the motion calls for a ban on exports of any material that could strengthen the Israeli military, including helmets, vests, and fuel with potential military use.
It also recommends reforming Spain’s foreign trade legislation to prohibit military agreements with any state accused of committing genocide or crimes against humanity, specifically citing Israel’s offensive on Gaza.
Sumar spokesperson Veronica Martinez stated that Spain "cannot cooperate with a state that commits genocide or war crimes," adding that Israel’s arms industry "must not be supported under the current circumstances in Gaza.” Podemos leader Ione Belarra called for an emergency Cabinet session to issue a formal decree banning arms sales.
Despite the parliamentary vote, Defence Minister Margarita Robles, speaking from Brussels, reiterated that Spain has not engaged in arms trade with Israel since the onset of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023.
"We are not buying weapons from Israel, and this must be clearly stated. Since October 7, not a single weapon has been purchased from Israel. Only protective gear like helmets and vests for Spanish security forces has been procured,” Robles clarified.
The approved resolution, while symbolic, is a reflection of the Spanish government’s anti-Israel policies. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been a vocal critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, which followed the Hamas massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
In November of 2023, Spain’s Ambassador to Israel was summoned by the Foreign Ministry after Sanchez claimed that "Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza."
Last April, Sanchez criticized what he called Israel's "disproportionate response" in the Gaza war, saying it risks "destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world".
More recently, reports indicated that Spain, a NATO ally, has been denying port access to cargo vessels reportedly transporting US weapons to Israel. The US later launched an investigation into those reports.
