Published 09/09/2025 11:09 | Edited 08/09/2025 11:28
Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday (8) a package of nine measures to “stop genocide in Gaza”, which includes the total embargo of weapons to Israel, blockage of ports and airports to ships and military aircraft to the country and prohibition of Spanish territory of authorities and military personnel involved in war crimes.
Sánchez stated that the decision marks a “more step” of Spain in the face of the Israeli offensive, which has left more than 63,000 dead and almost 2 million displaced.
“This is not to defend itself. It is not even attacking. It is to exterminate an defenseless people,” he said in televised statement.
The decree-law that will be approved by the Council of Ministers legally consolidates the embargo of weapons that had been applied since 2023 and creates additional prohibitions, such as the importation of illegal settlement products in the West Bank and in Gaza and the restriction of Spanish citizens resident in these territories.
In addition to sanctions, the Spanish government has announced measures to support Palestine, including the sending of new staff to the Mission of the European Union in Rafah, the reinforcement of agricultural and medical cooperation projects with the Palestinian authority and the increase of humanitarian funds. The contribution to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) will be expanded by 10 million euros (R $ 63 million), while direct aid to Gaza will reach 150 million euros (R $ 957 million) in 2026.
Sánchez pointed out that even without military power to influence conflict, Spain wants to “give an example” in defending international law. “Spain has no nuclear bombs, nor aircraft carrier or large oil reserves. We alone can’t stop the Israeli offensive, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop trying,” he said.
“We know that all these measures will not be enough to stop the invasion, but we hope they will serve to add pressure and relieve part of the suffering of the Palestinian population,” he said.
“We hope these measures will serve so that the whole of Spanish society will know and feel that, in the face of one of the most infamous episodes of the 21st century, its country, Spain, was on the right side of history,” he concluded.
The nine measures announced
- Decree-law that legally consolidates the weapon embargo Israel, permanently banning the purchase and sale of weapons, ammunition and military equipment.
- Prohibition of traffic in Spanish ports of ships carrying fuels destined to the Israeli Armed Forces.
- Denial of entry into Spanish airspace to state aircraft that transport defense material to Israel.
- Prohibition of entry in Spain of people directly involved In genocide, human rights violations and war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
- Prohibition of imports of products from illegal settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Limitation of consular services to Spanish citizens residing in illegal settlements to the minimum legally mandatory.
- Reinforcement to the Palestinian Authoritywith more effective in the Border Assistance mission of the European Union in Rafah and new cooperation projects in agriculture, food security and medical care.
- Expansion of the contribution to Unrwa by 10 million euros (R $ 63 million).
- Increased humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to 150 million euros (R $ 957 million) In 2026.
Israel reaction and diplomatic tension
The decision provoked immediate reaction from Tel Aviv. Chancellor Gideon Sa’ar accused the Spanish government of promoting a “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic campaign” and said that Sánchez tries to divert the attention of domestic corruption scandals. As a retaliation, he announced the entrance veto of Deputy Breed Yolanda Díaz and the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, both members of the leftiest wing of the Spanish coalition.
In a press conference in Budapest, Sa’ar also attacked France and Spain itself, saying that if they are so committed to creating a Palestinian state, “they can do so in their own territories.” The minister reiterated that Israel “will not risk his safety” with undesirable borders alongside a “terrorist organization.”
Madrid responded in an official note, rejecting “categorically false and slanderous accusations of anti -Semitism” and ensuring that the country “will not be intimidated in its defense of peace, international law and human rights.” The text also stressed that Spanish politics is guided by the search for solution of two states.
The episode expands tensions between the two countries, which had been in deterioration since Spain formally recognized the state of Palestine in 2024, a decision that led Israel to remove its ambassador from Madrid. The Spanish measure now puts it in the European front of criticism open to the war in Gaza.
Internal and international political scenario
In the internal level, the announcement occurs amidst the allied base debates about the reach of sanctions. The parties Sumar and we can have already registered in Congress a proposal of arms embargo to Israel and argued that the measure was approved by decree law.
Sectors on the left even required the total breakdown of diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, a hypothesis that was rejected by the PSOE, which argues that the maintenance of the diplomatic channel is necessary to continue defending the solution of two states.
The step taken by Sánchez, however, goes beyond internal divisions and projects Spain as one of the firm European countries in condemnation of war in Gaza.
Since 2023, Madrid had been expanding his humanitarian support, closing the sale of military equipment to Israel and leading resolutions in the UN. Now, consolidates this route with harder measures, presented as a gesture of consistency and historical responsibility.
The announcement takes place on the eve of the UN General Assembly in New York, where the Palestinian issue will return to the center of attention.
France and other European countries are preparing to formally recognize the state of Palestine on the 22nd, a movement that can isolate even more Israel on the international scene. In this scenario, Spain seeks to assert itself as an active voice in the defense of international law and human rights.
Source: vermelho.org.br
