Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday, September 8, announced nine measures against Israel due to its military campaign in the Gaza Strip. These include a ban on the export of military equipment to the Jewish State and a travel ban on Israelis involved in fighting in Gaza. The EU as a whole, however, has not yet agreed on decisive joint action against Israel.
In a televised address, Spanish PM announced that his government will “increase pressure on Israel” and described the events in the Palestinian Gaza Strip as genocide. Mr Sánchez said that Spain will ban all persons involved in the fighting in Gaza Strip from entering Spanish territory. Madrid will also impose an arms embargo on Israel and will ban all ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from entering its ports.
“It is extermination, not defence”
“What Israel is doing is not defense, it is the extermination of people who cannot defend themselves,” Mr Sánchez commented on the situation in the Gaza Strip. He also described the events in the Gaza Strip as “one of the most shameful events of the 21st century.”
The events in Gaza Strip are among the most shameful events of the 21st century. – Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister
Spanish PM added that Spain has repeatedly condemned the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 that had triggered the war and that Madrid “will always support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded by saying that the Spanish government has a “hostile political line” towards Israel. According to Mr Saar, Sánchez is only trying to divert attention from his government’s alleged corruption problems. Saar said that Israel will ban Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego from entering its territory.
No unified EU measures against Israel so far
Within the EU, Spain, along with Ireland and Sweden, is among the harshest critics of Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Teresa Ribera, European Commission’s Vice-President, who is Spanish by nationality, was the first of the EU’s top politicians to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide last week.
On the other hand, there are several countries within the EU, such as Germany, Czechia, and Hungary, which are generally tolerant or supportive towards Israel. For this reason, the EU as a whole has not yet been able to agree on sanctions or other tougher measures against the Jewish State. The suspension or cancellation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement has not gone through.
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In recent weeks, as a result Israeli military campaign, 50 to 100 people per day on average were killed in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilaians. These figures, coming from the Palestinian authorities, are considered reliable by the UN, and are corroborated by numerous international organizations operating in the Gaza Strip.
