Spain has decided to freeze all arms sales and purchases from Israel, according to Defence minister Margarita Robles. This decision came after a formal letter from ministers of Spain’s far-left coalition party, Sumar, urging a total arms embargo on Israel due to the conflict escalation in Gaza and Lebanon. Ione Belarra, former social rights minister and now secretary general of Podemos, also called for breaking diplomatic and trade relations with Israel.
Rising internal criticism and pressure from smaller parties in the coalition government have pushed Spain to take a stand against Israel’s actions in Gaza, resulting in over 42,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023. Prime Minister Sanchez even appealed to other nations to stop supplying weapons to Israel and urged EU members to suspend the bloc’s free trade agreement with Israel.
This move by Spain has sparked debates and discussions within the government, highlighting the complexity of international relations and diplomacy in the face of human rights violations. With 146 out of 193 UN member states now recognizing a unified Palestinian state, the pressure on Israel is mounting.