Less than a month after the second anniversary of the Israeli offensive on Gaza, Pedro Sánchez has placed Spain at the forefront of European countries taking measures against Benjamin Netanyahu's government. In a roughly ten-minute official statement, the prime minister announced a package of nine measures, including the urgent approval of a royal decree making the arms embargo on Israel legally binding."The government," he said,"has decided to immediately launch nine actions to stop the genocide in Gaza, to prosecute the perpetrators, and to support the Palestinian population."
The measure establishes a permanent legal ban on the purchase and sale of armaments, munitions, and military equipment to Israel. According to Sánchez, the embargo had already been in place"de facto" since October 2023, but now it has been formalized in law, as civil society organizations have been calling for months, especially after reports of military supplies being made through various ministries.
Among the announced measures is a ban on ships carrying fuel destined for the Israel Defense Forces from transiting Spanish ports, an extension of the blockade already in place since last May for vessels carrying weapons cargo. At the same time, the government has established a ban on entry into Spain for all those directly or indirectly involved in military operations in Gaza and human rights violations. This measure, in light of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, obliges Spain to cooperate with international justice.
The package also includes a ban on the import of products from the occupied territories, such as Medjool dates available in supermarkets, and limitations on consular services for Spanish citizens residing in illegal settlements. Diplomatically, Sánchez reiterated his commitment to keeping the prospect of a two-state solution alive, while in terms of international cooperation, the government will increase aid to the Palestinian Authority with new projects in agriculture, food, and health. Spanish participation in the European border assistance mission at Rafah will also be strengthened.
Regarding humanitarian aid, Spain will increase its contribution to UNRWA by 10 million euros and bring overall cooperation to 150 million by 2026.
In his speech, Sánchez emphasized the political and moral significance of these measures:"It's one thing to protect one's country and one's society, but it's quite another to bomb hospitals and starve innocent children. This isn't self-defense, nor is it even attacking: it's exterminating a defenseless people, violating all the norms of humanitarian law."
The prime minister acknowledged that the decisions taken will not be sufficient to stop the war or the war crimes, but expressed the hope that they will put pressure on the Israeli government and help alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population."Spain wants its society to know that it has placed itself on the right side of history in the face of one of the most infamous episodes of the 21st century," he declared.
