Spain’s parliament formally approves Israel arms embargo

Spain’s parliament has approved the enshrinement in law of a total arms embargo on Israel, permanently banning the sale of weapons, dual-use technology and military equipment in response to the genocide in Gaza.

Lawmakers voted 178 to 169 on Wednesday to ratify a decree announced in September by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has emerged as one of the most vocal critics on the global stage of Israel’s conduct over the course of the two-year war on Gaza.
“Israel’s response to the terrible attacks committed by the terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023, has ended up becoming an indiscriminate attack against the Palestinian population that the majority of experts have called genocide,” the preamble of the law reads.

The measure formalises a ban that has essentially been in place since October 2023. Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the vote as “the final step in a long process” that had been playing out since the war began.

Sanchez announced a decree last month to “consolidate in law” the embargo as part of a series of measures to ratchet up pressure on Israel.

That announcement drew a furious response from Israel, which had already withdrawn its ambassador last year when Spain recognised a Palestinian state.