The Ministry of Defense finds it very difficult to implement the arms embargo on Israel.

MadridThe most important thing is the symbolic and political message. This is what sources in the Ministry of Defense are conveying, as they believe it will be very difficult to implement a real arms embargo on Israel. Congress will process a bill which proposes the introduction of this legal concept against states that violate international law, with the favorable vote of the PSOE, Margarita Robles' entourage cools this possibility. "There are some licenses that are being used, but I say it again: they are not weapons. We cannot put everything in the same bag, they are for the protection of lives. We do not dwell on the details," she said in statements to the media, when asked if Spain will continue acquiring Israeli products in the field of defense and security.

Robles already stated on Tuesday from Brussels that there are "essential" materials that must continue to be received. Since the Delàs Center for Peace Studies revealed that there were 46 contracts closed or in progress since October 7, 2023, with Israeli companies, the Spanish government has argued that no contracts for specifically military material had been formalized, seeking to differentiate it from components that can be used in this area. The problem with the bill pushed through Congress this Tuesday is that it also proposes the embargo of, to give a hypothetical example, parts purchased in Israel that could be used for flashlights used by Spanish soldiers.

The label placed on the material or its interpretation isn't the only thing that makes a total embargo on Israel difficult. The Ministry of Defense points out that Israeli technology linked to security and defense is widespread. How can we ensure that Spanish troops abroad don't use products purchased by NATO from companies belonging to Benjamin Netanyahu's regime? This is another of the issues raised by Robles' entourage. What the Ministry of Defense is conveying is that the political message is one thing and the reality is another, and that we can't fool ourselves. However, Robles asserted that Spanish defense companies are "solidary" in understanding the complex position of the Spanish government on the matter, which is under significant pressure from its left-wing partners in Congress. In fact, Sumar, Izquierda, EH Bildu, Podemos, and the BNG have requested that the bill be processed urgently.

This Wednesday, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska appeared to explain the controversy surrounding the Civil Guard's contract with an Israeli company to purchase bullets worth 6.6 million euros. "I'm aware that this contract has created a problem. I don't mind admitting errors or specific problems, but we've been able to solve it effectively," said Marlaska, who was overruled by Sánchez. After the Interior Ministry decided to move forward because it found no way to avoid losing money, it was the Spanish president who had to order its cancellation, regardless of the financial consequences. A month after this controversy, the contract is still "in the process of being terminated," explained the Interior Minister, who has pledged not to buy or sell weapons in Israel.

Sánchez to Feijóo: "What a lack of humanity"

Despite the contradictions and difficulties, Pedro Sánchez maintains his denunciation of the "barbaric acts" Netanyahu is committing in Gaza, as he reiterated this Wednesday during the control session in Congress. The leader of the People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, once again criticized the Spanish president for wanting to investigate the vote in Israel during the Eurovision Song Contest. Sánchez criticized Feijóo on Tuesday for saying that Eurovision was "the new Franco" for the Spanish government, a "joke" that, according to the head of the state executive, demonstrates the PP leader's "political stature" and "lack of humanity." In statements to the media, Feijóo described the massacre in Gaza as "military activities" and demanded that the Netanyahu government stop them.

Feijóo, however, focused the control session on the alleged cases of corruption involving the Spanish government. The latest attack on the PSOE's number three, Santos Cerdán, was recently singled out in a supposed Civil Guard report that has yet to be published. According to leaks to some right-wing media outlets, the Socialist organization secretary was reportedly interested in public works in Navarre. He himself admitted on Tuesday, quite naturally, that he had inquired about contracts in the territory he represents as a member of the Lower House. The Spanish president has closed ranks with Cerdán and denounced the PP leader for "dedicating himself to defaming honest people."