Courtesy of JNS. Photo credit: Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech to announce that Spain will recognize Palestine as a state on May 28, at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on May 22, 2024
(JNS) — Spain’s Interior Ministry on Tuesday announced the cancellation of an ammunition purchase from Israel, which is already under a Spanish arms embargo.
The canceled $7.1 million contract was for 15 million 9 mm rounds for the Spanish police force from Guardian LTD Israel, El Pais reported.
“The Spanish Government has maintained its commitment not to sell or buy weapons to the Israeli State since the armed conflict broke out in the territory of Gaza,” said the Interior Ministry. “In addition, other Israeli companies will be excluded as bidders in other arms procurement procedures currently being processed by the Directorate General of the Civil Guard,” the statement continued.
The TRT news agency reported last week that Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles had confirmed the suspension of all weapons purchases from Israel since Oct. 7, 2023.
Earlier this month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez joined the call for an arms embargo against Israel, which Canada, France and the United Kingdom have also announced. Germany had slowed down its supply of weapons to Israel in 2024, upping it by about $100 million since August. In 2023, German arms sales to Israel totalled $352 million.
Spain is a smaller supplier, with its exports amounting to just under $50 million in 2023. In May, Spain joined Ireland and Norway in recognizing a Palestinian state.
