On Monday 8 September, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced additional measures against the Israeli government, saying that “protecting your country [was] one thing, bombing hospitals and starving innocent children [is] quite another [...] This is not self-defence. It’s not even an attack. It’s the extermination of a defenceless people. This is a violation of all the laws of humanitarian law”.
The Prime Minister announced that Spain would be consolidating its arms embargo against Israel, which has been in force since October 2023. The country will also ban all ships carrying fuel for the Israeli armed forces from transiting through Spanish ports, and refuse entry into its airspace to all state aircraft carrying defence equipment destined for Israel.
Persons “directly involved in the genocide, human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza” will also be banned from entering Spain.
Furthermore, Spain will ban imports of products from the settlements in Gaza and the West Bank and limit consular services provided to Spanish citizens living in Israeli settlements “to the legal minimum”.
Lastly, the country plans to increase the number of staff in the EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) and to set up new cooperation projects with the Palestinian Authority in the fields of agriculture, food security and medical assistance. A further €10 million will be allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for aid to the population of Gaza and €150 million for humanitarian aid and cooperation for Gaza.
In retaliation, the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, announced sanctions against two Spanish ministers: Yolanda Diaz, Minister of Labour, and Sira Rego, Minister for Youth and Children, for alleged anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic activities, according to Mr Sa’ar.
Although no measures have yet been adopted at EU level, European External Action Service spokesperson Anouar el Anouni confirmed that “all options remain on the table” and that the channels of communication with Israel are open. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)