The Spanish government strengthens its alignment with Palestine, freezes military ties with Israel
In the same vein, the Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, described the Israeli state as "genocidal". Along with the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, she refused to support in the European Parliament the condemnations of the attacks perpetrated by Hamas.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez toughened his stance against Israel in the context of the conflict with the terrorist group Hamas. From La Moncloa, the head of the Executive announced a package of restrictive measures and stated that Spain lacks the military capability to stop the Israeli response.
In a statement that caused repercussions, Sánchez said: "Spain doesn't have nuclear bombs, aircraft carriers, or large oil reserves. We alone can't stop the Israeli offensive, but we're not going to stop trying, because there are causes worth fighting for, even if it's not solely in our hands to win them."
The conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas was reignited on October 7, 2023, when the Islamist group launched an offensive on Israeli territory that left more than 1,200 dead and hundreds kidnapped. The Israeli military operation in Gaza has continued since then with strong international resistance.
Sánchez reported that Spain will impose an arms embargo on Israel, will prohibit entry into the country to citizens who "participate" in its offensive, and will increase funding to UNRWA, a United Nations agency accused of maintaining ties with Hamas members.
The measures add to the line that several members of the Executive have maintained since the beginning of the crisis. In October 2023, Vice President Yolanda Díaz accused Israel of "committing war crimes".
The position of the Spanish Government has been interpreted as an alignment with sectors that recognize a "Palestinian state" and that maintain a critical discourse against Israel. Meanwhile, the Executive keeps diplomatic ties with the dictatorial regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, one of Hamas's regional allies.
This approach contrasts with the policy of other European countries that, while calling for restraint from Israel, have explicitly condemned the terrorist attacks.
Sánchez's decision comes in a scenario in which Hamas continues to hold hundreds of hostages and attacks against Israeli civilians are being recorded, such as the one that occurred in Jerusalem, where five people died.
The strategy of the Spanish Government represents a deepening of its distancing from Israel and a commitment to strengthening its position internationally in favor of the terrorist state of Palestine.
