Spain cancels $6.48M arms deal with Israeli defense company amid ongoing violence in Gaza
By isabelle // 2024-11-04
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Spain has canceled a $6.48 million contract with an Israeli defense company in light of the country’s actions in Gaza, expanding on a previous pledge not to sell weapons to Israel to encompass the purchase of weapons as well. The government had previously agreed to buy more than 15 million 9mm rounds of ammunition in a $6.48 million contract from Guardian LTD Israel for its national Guardia Civil police force. However, the Spanish Interior Ministry announced in a statement that it is reversing course for political reasons. “The Spanish government maintains the commitment not to sell weapons to the Israeli state since the armed conflict broke out in the territory of Gaza. Although in this case it is an acquisition of ammunition, the Interior Ministry has initiated the administrative procedure to cancel the purchase,” the statement read. The Interior Ministry added that it will disqualify all Israeli companies from bidding for future tenders as long as the war in Gaza continues. Spain is one of the few European nations that has been willing to take a very strong stance against Israel’s genocide and war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez encouraging his fellow EU members to suspend their free trade agreement with Israel earlier this month. Sanchez stated: “The European Commission must respond once and for all to the formal request made by two [Spain and Ireland] to suspend the association agreement with Israel if it is found, as everything suggests, that human rights are being violated.” After meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, he made a call to the international community as a whole to stop exporting weapons to the Jewish state, saying: “I do believe that it is urgent that, in light of everything that is happening in the Middle East, the international community stops exporting weapons to the government of Israel," he told reporters. "This is an appeal that I will make... to the entire international community.” He added that no one should contribute to the violence in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

Spain angered Israel by recognizing Palestine as a state in May

In May, Spain joined Ireland, Norway and Slovenia in recognizing Palestine as a state. The Spanish defense minister, Margarita Robles, then labeled the conflict in Gaza a “real genocide” in an interview with TVE state television. "We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a real genocide," she said, echoing previous comments made by Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz. She added that Madrid’s official recognition of Palestine was not intended to be a move against Israel but was instead done in the hopes of ending the “violence in Gaza” at a time when nearly 36,000 Palestinians had already been killed there. The countries’ recognition of a Palestinian state spurred an angry response from Israel, who likened it to a “reward for terrorism” and promptly recalled its ambassadors from the capitals of the countries. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the move meant Sanchez’s government was “being complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes.” Spain was also the first European country to back South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing genocide. The court has already ordered Israel to stop its military offensive in Gaza, but Israel did not comply. In a post on X, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that Israel must comply with the ICJ’s ruling, writing: "The International Court of Justice's precautionary measures, including the cessation of Israel's offensive in Rafah, are mandatory. We demand its application." Sources for this article include: TheCradle.co Reuters.com
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