Madrid (TDI): In a sharply divided vote, Spain’s parliament on Wednesday formally ratified a sweeping arms embargo on Israel, converting what had been an executive decree into permanent law.
The motion passed by a narrow margin of 178 to 169, closing a political chapter and heightening tensions between Madrid and Tel Aviv.
This new law has changed the status of the two‑year moratorium enacted at the onset of Israel’s war in Gaza into a binding statute.
The newly approved legislation bans the export and import of all defense and dual‑use technologies, and it prohibits ships and aircraft carrying fuel or military‑usable cargo from entering Spanish ports or airspace.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez first announced the decree last month as part of a broader sanctions package aimed at intensifying pressure on Israel. His government framed the move as a moral and diplomatic response to what Spain believes is Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles called Wednesday’s vote “the final step in a long process” that had begun with the conflict’s eruption in October 2023. Opposition parties, including the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far‑right Vox, condemned the law and voted against it.
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The vote’s unexpected passage hinged on last‑minute backing from the far‑left party Podemos, which had initially withheld its support.
Its four seats tipped the margin in favor of Sánchez’s minority coalition. Podemos leader Ione Belarra lauded the move but pressed for further severance of ties, arguing that existing arms contracts should be cancelled outright.
Notably, the vote was postponed by one day to avoid coinciding with the two year anniversary of October 7, 2023, a date that remains deeply charged in Spain’s domestic debate over Gaza, and after which Israel’s started its blatant aggression in Gaza.
Israel recalled its ambassador following Spain’s earlier recognition of a Palestinian state, and the formalization of the embargo threatens further diplomatic downhill. Tel Aviv has criticized the move as politically motivated and misguided.
The Spanish government says the law also cracks down on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and bans promotional activity for products from those areas.
Supporters see Spain positioning itself as a bold European critic of Israel’s conduct, while opponents warn the embargo may strain Spain’s relationships within the EU and with key allies.
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