Spain’s parliament has formally enacted a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, making permanent a ban on all weapon sales and military equipment in response to the war in Gaza. The law, approved on October 8 by a vote of 178 to 169, cements into statute a prohibition that has been in effect since the conflict began.
The measure bans the export of weapons and dual-use technology to Israel, while also barring ships carrying fuel for the Israeli military from docking at Spanish ports.
The vote ratifies a decree announced last month by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has become one of Israel’s most prominent international critics. In the law’s preamble, the government states that Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks “has ended up becoming an indiscriminate attack against the Palestinian population that the majority of experts have called genocide.”
The newly passed legislation represents the final step in a process that began with the outbreak of the war. “This is the final step in a long process,” said Defence Minister Margarita Robles.
The wide-reaching embargo prohibits all exports and imports of defence equipment and technology, and restricts the transit of fuel or material with potential military use through Spanish territory. It includes an exception for dual-use items only if the ban would harm Spain’s national interests. The law also prohibits advertising products from Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.
Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the passing of the law as “the final step in a long process” (Credit: U.S. Department of Defense, CC BY 2.0)
The move has significantly escalated diplomatic tensions. Israel, which recalled its ambassador last year after Spain recognized a Palestinian state, issued a furious response to Sanchez’s initial announcement.
The parliamentary vote, initially scheduled for the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, was delayed by one day after the Israeli embassy condemned the original timing as “cynical and reprehensible.”
The measure ultimately passed after the government secured last-minute support from the far-left Podemos party, which holds four crucial seats. Podemos leader Ione Belarra had criticized the law as insufficient and urged a complete severance of ties with Israel. The conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox party voted against the embargo.
This action is part of a broader campaign by Sanchez’s government to increase pressure on Israel. Last month, the Spanish prime minister also called for international sporting bodies to ban Israel from competitions, comparing its actions to those of Russia, which was excluded from many events following its invasion of Ukraine.
Feature photo: Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, attends the ‘Questions to the Government’ session at the Spanish Parliament’s General Assembly in Madrid, Spain. (Credit: Burak Akbulut/AA)
