Spain bans arms transfers to Israel over Gaza war; Israeli FM calls move antisemitic

Spain on Monday banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace due to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, measures the Israeli foreign minister denounced as antisemitic.

Spain, which recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, responded to Gideon Saar’s comments by summoning its ambassador in Tel Aviv back for consultations.

On top of the ban on ships and aircraft delivering weapons or military-grade jet fuel to Israel, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government said it would not allow anyone who has participated directly in “genocide” in Gaza to enter Spain.

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Israel has strongly denied that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide, and it is fighting a case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague that accuses it of genocide.

Israel launched its assault on the Gaza Strip in October, 2023, after fighters from Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control of the territory, attacked Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages.

Saar accused Sanchez of using the measures in an attempt to divert attention from domestic corruption scandals, and announced an entry ban on Sanchez’s deputy, Yolanda Diaz, and Youth Minister Sira Rego. Both belong to hard-left party Sumar, the junior partner in Sanchez’s coalition government.

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Spain’s Foreign Ministry said Israel’s entry ban was unacceptable, adding that Sanchez’s measures were in line with public sentiment in Spain and reflected Madrid’s support for peace, human rights and international law.

It said Spain was committed to fighting antisemitism, pointing to the granting of Spanish citizenship to 72,000 Sephardic Jews - descendants of those expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century.

In a separate statement, the ministry said Spain strongly condemned Monday’s “terrorist act in East Jerusalem”, in which Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop, killing six people, including a Spanish national living in Israel.