Spain issues nine measures against Israel over Gaza conflict
Spain has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the nation, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares declared on September 9th, according to Middle East Eye.
The decision came after Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unveiled nine measures on September 8th aimed at halting Israeli attacks in Gaza.
A full arms embargo on Israel and the banning of the entry of Israeli officials “directly involved in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes,” such as Smotrich and Ben Gvir, are included in the measures. Albares confirmed that Spain has created an evolving list of sanctioned Israelis, which currently includes 13 settlers, who will be banned from entering Spanish territory. Ben Gvir and Smotrich will also be added to the Schengen Information System, a European border security database.
“It is an open list in which we will add all those persons who demonstrate with their conduct or their statements that they want to make the two-state solution completely unfeasible,” Albares said.
Other measures include barring vessels holding fuel for Israel’s army from docking in Spanish ports and prohibiting aircraft transporting defense materials for Israel from entering Spanish airspace. Spain has also banned imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, while reducing consular services to Spanish citizens living in those settlements to a basic level.
Sanchez also vowed to give additional support for the Palestinian Authority, such as strengthening Spain’s role in the EU mission in Rafah and launching new cooperative projects. Spain will also provide an extra €10 million to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, while raising its humanitarian financial support for Gaza to €150 million by next year.Â
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government banned two Spanish ministers from entering Israel. Madrid then recalled its Israeli ambassador, Ana MarĂa SalomĂłn, for consultations. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denounced Spain’s measures as “antisemitic” and announced Israeli entry bans for Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda DĂaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego.
The Spanish government quickly rejected Saar’s accusation as “false and slanderous.” In a statement, it declared: “The measures relating to the inhumane situation in Gaza and the West Bank, announced today by the President of the Spanish Government, reflect the majority opinion of Spanish society and are adopted within the framework of its sovereignty and in line with its defence of peace, human rights and international law.”
Spain joins the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, which have sanctioned Smotrich and Ben Gvir since June 10th over their “repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian communities.” Meanwhile, Middle East Eye reported on August 15th that the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant applications against Ben Gvir and Smotrich on charges of apartheid are now ready.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 64,500 Palestinians and caused more than 160,000 to sustain wounds, Gaza’s health authorities have said. Israel’s military data has revealed that deceased civilians make up over 80% of the people who have been killed.Â
Middle East Eye, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (Spain), Maghrebi.org
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