The Spain's Prime Minister (PM), Pedro Sánchez on September 8, 2025 decisively announced a permanent ban on the sale of weapons and ammunition to Israel.
This is reportedly part of the country’s frantic measures aimed at "stopping the genocide" in Gaza.
The PM equally stated that ships carrying fuel destined for Israel's armed forces would be prohibited from docking in Spanish ports.
Similarly, aircraft known to be transporting military materials would be forbidden from entering the country's airspace.
Sánchez opined that while Israel has a right to exist and defend itself, it does not have the prerogative to "exterminate a defenseless people," as he cited the international community's failure to address the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza.
"Protecting your country and your society is one thing; bombing hospitals and starving children is another," The PM posited, stressing Spain's responsibility to do whatever it could to halt what the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur and many experts considered a "genocide".
The package of measures announced by Sánchez forbidded people who have "directly participated in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes in the Gaza Strip" from entering Spain.
However, the PM did not clarify how the participation would be assessed, or how those individuals would be identified.
The package also includes new restrictions on consular services offered to Spanish citizens residing in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as well as a total ban on products imported from occupied territories.
Sánchez has long been one of the EU's most vocal critics of "Israel's military assault" on Gaza and last year recognized Palestinian statehood.
Meanwhile, the Sumar Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Yolanda Díaz on Monday, September 8, celebrated the adoption of the new measures, but urged Sánchez to go even further and withdraw Spain's ambassador from Tel Aviv.
In response to Sánchez's announcement, Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar accused the Spanish government of being "antisemitic" and using a "hostile anti-Israeli line" to "distract attention from serious corruption scandals."
Sa'ar also banned Díaz and Youth Minister, Sira Rego — the daughter of a Palestinian refugee — from entering Israel, citing their support for "terrorism and violence against Israelis."
