Spain Approves ‘Total’ Arms Embargo Against Israel

Madrid (QNN)- Spain’s government has approved a “total” arms embargo on Israel as part of a package of measures aimed at “stopping the genocide in Gaza” and “supporting the Palestinian population”.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said the decree prohibits all exports of defence material and dual-use products or technologies to Israel and the import of such equipment to Spain.

It also blocks requests for the transit of aircraft fuel with potential military applications and bans imports of products originating from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, including their advertising.

The decree will come into force immediately, but it must still be approved at a later date by parliament.

The embargo, announced earlier by Sanchez, goes beyond partial restrictions previously in place.

“There is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children,” Sanchez said at that time, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s assault in Gaza.

“This is an unjustifiable attack on the civilian population. Sixty thousand dead, two million displaced, half of them children. This is not self-defence … it is the extermination of a defenceless people.”

“Spain already had partial bans, such as Slovenia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, but with this measure, we are the first country to prohibit arms exports, fuel transit, and imports … paving the way for the EU,” the left-wing coalition partner Sumar said in a statement.

However, Podemos leader Ione Belarra criticised the timing, saying the move came too late.

“Arms embargoes are implemented before war crimes are committed, not with 60,000 innocent victims,” she said.

Government spokesperson and Education Minister Pilar Alegria reiterated Spain’s stance on recognising Palestine, recalling Sanchez’s remarks at the UN.

“As the prime minister underlined at the UN, recognising the state of Palestine is urgent. Spain did so in May, and now we see many countries such as France, Portugal, Canada, the UK, and Australia following suit. Spain has played a key role from the start in supporting coexistence through a two-state solution,” Alegria said.

Spain had previously unveiled a nine-point sanctions package against Israel on September 9, but delayed approval of the full arms embargo until Tuesday.

Spain formally recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024, joining a handful of European nations to do so.