Madrid / BarcelonaPedro Sánchez is determined to play his cards right to counter the pressure he will receive from the courts in the coming months, aiming to ensure that government action overcomes the judicial ordeal. If last week's proposal was a state pact against the climate emergency, this Monday the Spanish president sought to take the initiative by announcing tougher measures against Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The decision to impose an immediate arms embargo and banning entry into Spain for all individuals linked to "genocide" and "extermination"—in Sánchez's words—has aggravated a diplomatic crisis between the two countries that has been going on for almost two years, since the war on Gaza intensified. Israel responded by banning two ministers, Yolanda Díaz and Sira Rego, from entering the country, and the Spanish Foreign Minister responded by recalling his ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations.
After the Israeli army redoubled its offensive to control the capital of the Strip, the Socialist leader wanted to go further. "Spain cannot be an accomplice to this barbarism. We were not alone, but we were the first. I prefer the solitude of humanity to the company of unreason and barbarism," Sánchez argued. Spain, a pioneer in recognizing Palestine as a state in May of last year, already supported the war crimes cases against Netanyahu opened at the International Criminal Court, although the terminology Sánchez used is significant in diplomatic terms.
The arms embargo
Among the measures that the head of the State's executive has outlined in an institutional appearance at the Moncloa Palace, the most notable is the arms embargo on Israel, a measure that was already being processed in Congress, but which the Moncloa Palace has wanted to accelerate due to pressure from Sumar for it to come into effect immediately. In fact, the spokesperson for ERC, Gabriel Rufián, considered that it comes "late" and the leader of Podemos, Ione Belarra, called for a complete severance of relations with Israel. The forces of the plurinational majority and civil society involved in the conflict have long called for an arms embargo and, in fact, commercial relations between Spain and Israel have been a point of contention in the Sánchez government. As an excuse for not implementing the embargo, the executive always argued that no military material had been imported or exported to Israel since October 7, 2023, but It has been proven that this has not been the case.
Today the Spanish government has not yet confirmed that it has denied the acquisition of ammunition from an Israeli company for the Civil Guard that Sánchez pledged to stop Last April, the Spanish coalition experienced a crisis when it became known that the Ministry of the Interior had gone ahead with a contract that it had said it would halt months earlier, and the Spanish president was forced to overrule the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The PSOE then voted in favor of Sumar's proposal in Congress for a total embargo on defense and security material from Israeli companies, that is, also dual-use material—which is also used in the civilian sphere—but the The Ministry of Defense cooled the feasibility of this measureThe scope of the text that the Council of Ministers will approve this Tuesday remains to be seen.
Sánchez admitted in his statement the limited impact his moves will have on halting the offensive against Gaza, but his aim is to pave the way for the European Union, which the Spanish government accuses of playing an almost complicit role with Netanyahu. Spain already unsuccessfully promoted months ago the suspension of the EU accession treaty with Israel. Be that as it may, the Spanish president does not want to sit idly by: he will deny entry into Spanish airspace to aircraft carrying Israeli defense material—according to SER, however, the US will be able to continue using the Rota and Morón bases—and to ships transporting fuel destined for the Spanish armed forces in Israeli ports. He will also prohibit the import of products from the "illegal settlements" in Gaza and the West Bank and will limit consular assistance. On the other hand, regarding humanitarian aid, the EU mission in Rafah will be reinforced with more troops, the contribution to UNRWA—the UN refugee assistance agency—will be increased by an additional 10 million euros, and the humanitarian aid budget will be increased to 156 million euros. Sánchez's remarks prompted a swift reaction from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who called the Spanish government "corrupt" and described the measures as a "relentless anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic attack." The Spanish government reacted to the "false and slanderous" accusations, according to the Foreign Ministry, and has decided to recall the ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations.
Feijóo: "What Israel is doing is unacceptable"
Diplomatic tension has once again caught the PP off guard, as it is struggling to grasp the conflict. While Isabel Díaz Ayuso has championed criticism of the pro-Palestinian protesters who have boycotted the Vuelta Ciclismo (Cycling Tour), the president of Extremadura, María Guardiola, surprised everyone on Sunday by speaking out "out of responsibility for the barbarity and horror being experienced in Gaza." And Alberto Núñez Feijóo had to admit in an interview on Telecinco that "what Israel is doing to the civilian population of Gaza is unacceptable." "Blocking humanitarian aid [in the Strip] is unforgivable," said the PP leader, who criticized Sánchez for not reaching an agreement with the main opposition party on the announced measures.
Brussels criticizes the flotilla to Gaza, saying it could "escalate" the war.
The European Commission has criticized the flotilla that left Barcelona for Gaza, and EU spokesperson Eva Hrncirova has made it clear that Brussels "does not support it." "The situation could escalate, and the participants themselves could be put at risk," the spokesperson said at a press conference.
Hrncirova also argued that the "best way to deliver humanitarian aid is through the European Union's partners," although it is not arriving and, in fact, this is one of Brussels' main complaints against the Netanyahu government. In any case, the European Commission spokesperson emphasized that "it is totally against these ships being attacked."
