Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez announces the issuance of a royal decree criminalizing arms exports to Israel
Says his country has decided to increase humanitarian support for population of Gaza Strip
MADRID ( WEB NEWS )
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced the issuance of a royal decree criminalizing arms exports to Israel.
The spat came after Sanchez unveiled measures he said aimed to “stop the genocide in Gaza”, marking a new low in relations over the devastating Israeli offensive, launched after an unprecedented Hamas attack in Israel in 2023.
The Socialist prime minister said his government would approve a decree to “consolidate in law” a ban on military equipment sales or purchases with Israel, a measure it had applied since the start of the conflict.
Pedro Sanchez said in a press conference held Monday, “We have decided to prevent fuel tankers supplying the Israeli army from docking in our ports,” and to close our airspace to all aircraft carrying weapons or ammunition to Israel.
Pedro Sanchez confirmed that a decision has been issued to close our ports to ships carrying weapons and defense systems to Israel, and that the government will pass a bill to implement an effective arms embargo on Israel.
He stressed that his country has decided to increase humanitarian support for the population of the Gaza Strip and raise support for UNRWA to 10 million euros to support the people of Gaza.
Pedro Sanchez added, “All that we have done so far has not succeeded in alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people, and there is an urgent need to work to achieve peace in the Middle East.”
He added that the Spanish government will pass a bill to implement an effective arms embargo on Israel, noting that there is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals and killing people with starvation. The Spanish government, which recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024, has made support for the Palestinian cause one of its pillars of its foreign policy.