The Spanish parliament is set to discuss a proposal next week to impose an arms embargo on Israel, following a decision made by the Spanish government last week, Kan 11 News reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, the debate will take place next Tuesday, coinciding with the anniversary of the brutal October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas against Israel.
The report further noted that the proposed embargo covers both the sale and purchase of weapons from Israel.
However, the proposal’s passage is not guaranteed, as even some left-wing coalition partners oppose it, arguing that it is a “fake embargo.”
The move comes amid escalating tensions between Madrid and Jerusalem. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has positioned himself as one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s policy in Gaza, accusing the Jewish state of genocide.
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".
In May, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares advocated for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
In mid-September, Spain formally cancelled a contract involving the acquisition of 12 SILAM rocket launcher systems, which are a variant of the PULS platform developed by Israeli firm Elbit Systems.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Yom Kippur in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)