Spain has granted Airbus an exceptional exemption to produce aircraft and drones using Israeli technology at its Spanish plants, despite its own ban on military and dual-use products from Israel imposed two months ago over the war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Approved last week by the cabinet and defended by several ministers this week, the decision underscores the pressure faced by European governments seeking to sanction Israel while protecting domestic industries.
The exemption also risks sparking further discord within Spain’s fragile ruling coalition, made up of the Socialist Party and its hard-left partner Sumar.
In September, Spain passed a law adopting what it called "urgent measures to stop the genocide in Gaza," which banned trade in defense material and dual-use products from Israel, as well as imports and advertising of goods originating from “illegal Israeli settlements.”
On Tuesday, Spain’s consumer ministry ordered seven tourist accommodation websites to remove 138 advertisements for holiday homes in what it terms “occupied Palestinian territories,” threatening sanctions if they failed to comply.
Airbus, one of Spain’s largest employers with around 14,000 workers and responsible for 60% of the nation’s air and defense exports, received the first exemption during a cabinet meeting last week, according to Reuters. Written minutes of the meeting cited the “great industrial and export potential” of Airbus aircraft as justification, calling them essential “for preserving thousands of highly skilled jobs in Spain.”
According to the cabinet minutes published last Tuesday, Airbus is cooperating with Spain’s Ministry of Defense on a “plan to disconnect from Israeli technology,” though no further details were provided.
The report comes amid 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.