The Spanish Parliament Approves a Law Banning Arms Exports to Israel

SadaNews - The Spanish Parliament approved a law tonight, Wednesday, that prohibits arms exports to Israel. This decision was announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez last September with the aim of putting an end to the genocide crimes committed by Israel, the occupying power, in the Gaza Strip.

The law was approved by a majority of 178 votes, against 169 votes opposed, with one deputy abstaining from voting.

This ban entirely prevents the sale of arms to Israel and the purchase of Israeli weapons by Spain.

The Spanish government had confirmed that it had already halted the purchase or sale of arms to Israel since the onset of the war on October 7, 2023. However, Sanchez announced last month a new decree aimed at "codifying the ban into law," as part of a package of measures against the Israeli attack on Gaza.

The law prohibits all exports of defense equipment, products, and technologies to Israel, as well as the import of such materials from it. It also bans the transit of fuel with potential military uses through Spanish territory and prohibits commercial advertising for products coming from illegal settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.

This decision comes as part of an escalating official stance by the Spanish government and parliament towards severe Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, where parliament members expressed their deep concern regarding the crimes committed against civilians, calling for the necessity of taking practical measures to stop military and logistical support for any operations that may be used to commit violations of international law.