Spain cancels €6.6 million in arms orders from Israeli companies after outcry
Spain canceled orders of 6.6 million euros (£5.7 million) from Israeli companies and canceled orders from Israeli companies with millions of bullets after its junior partners of its coalition government condemned its “blatant violation” of the coalition agreement, which has put the country’s ongoing efforts to endanger Israel’s actions on fueling Israel.
The country’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel’s behavior during the Gaza War, questioning whether it complies with international humanitarian law and calling the Palestinian death toll “really unbearable”.
Spain’s decision last year formally recognized the decision of the Palestinian state, and the government’s remarks have been strengthened by Spain’s remarks since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, which was initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
However, on Wednesday, Spain’s Interior Ministry wanted to buy 15.3 million rounds of 9mm ammunition from Israeli company IMI Systems because the contract was too high-end and too expensive to cancel. The ministry also said the cancellation of the contract would leave Guardia’s civil police force without the bullets needed to perform its duties.
News of the ongoing contract has sparked an angry response from the left-wing Sumar platform, founded by Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers. Sumal called for an immediate cancellation of the contract, and the platform’s joint left-wing group leaders said he and his colleagues would not tolerate “financing any part of the genocide state for competitors.” Israel denies allegations of genocide, which was reviewed by the International Court of Justice in the first case filed in South Africa.
The arms deal has driven another wedge between socialists and Sumal, who have already divided on Sánchez’s plan to invest 10.5 billion euros to enable Spain to meet its long-delayed NATO commitment to pay 2% of its GDP. Diaz’s platform describes the move as “inconsistent” and “absolutely high.”
On Thursday morning, Sanchez’s offices said the contract would be unilaterally cancelled and the import permit for ammunition would be denied. The government announced the cancellation of the deal that the “road to all negotiations” had exhausted the issue, adding that legal advice on the matter was being sought.
“The parties that form the Progressive Alliance government are firmly committed to the cause of Palestine and the Middle East peace,” government sources said. “That is why Spain will neither buy weapons from Israeli companies nor from Israeli companies.”
Sources added that any unfulfilled weapons orders from Israel issued by October 7, 2023 will not be made.
