By Ynet
Copyright ynetnews
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday announced a weapons embargo on Israel and accused it of committing genocide in Gaza, a move that drew sharp condemnation from Israeli leaders. In a televised speech, Sánchez said Israel was “exterminating a defenseless people” through strikes on hospitals and the use of starvation as a weapon. He said Spain recognized Israel’s right to defend itself but argued that its actions in Gaza could no longer be described as self-defense. “What Prime Minister Netanyahu presented in October 2023 as a military response to the horrific terror attacks has turned into a new wave of illegal occupation and an unjustified assault on the Palestinian civilian population,” Sánchez said. The Spanish leader, who in recent years has become one of the most outspoken critics of Israel in the European Union, announced that Spain would bar the sale of weapons to Israel, prevent ships carrying fuel for the Israeli military from docking at Spanish ports, and deny entry to “those directly responsible for genocide.” The government later confirmed that the travel ban would apply to far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Sánchez also pledged increased humanitarian aid for Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with outrage, calling Sánchez’s words “a genocidal threat against the only Jewish state.” He added, “Apparently the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and the systematic mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust are not enough for Sánchez. Unbelievable.” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also announced reciprocal measures, barring entry to two Spanish ministers who had made strongly critical statements about Israel, including one who defended the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack. “The corrupt Sánchez administration’s attempt to distract from serious corruption scandals by mounting a sustained anti-Israel and antisemitic assault is transparent,” Sa’ar said. He accused Sánchez of aligning with authoritarian regimes, citing Iran and Venezuela, and called Spain’s stance antisemitic. Sánchez’s announcement deepens a rift between Israel and Spain at a time when the European Union is divided over how to respond to the war in Gaza.
