The left wants explanations on the use of Spanish ports as transit points for weapons destined for Israel, despite the fact that the government has assured that this type of authorization has been suspended. According to an investigation by Progressive International and the Palestinian Youth Movement published by elDiario.es, at least 25 trips from the United States with military goods between May and September of this year stopped at the port of Algeciras. A total of 1,185 shipments of military supplies were detected, the recipient of which is the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Podemos demanded from the government an “immediate response” to what it considers a “shame and an “unacceptable” action. “We demand that responsibilities be assumed by the government which does not respect the law. Relations with the genocidal state of Israel must be severed and a total arms embargo must be implemented,” said the spokesperson, Pablo Fernández, during a press conference in which he assured that This was a violation of the law. And Spanish Law 53/2007 establishes a full commitment to the International Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits transfers – including transit – of military equipment to recipients who could use it to commit war crimes such as attacks against civilians, crimes against humanity or genocide, which places Israel in a destiny incompatible with the said Treaty.
For the moment, the government limits itself to saying that “all necessary measures will be adopted” to guarantee “that a Spanish port is no longer used as a stopover to send military equipment to Israel, as was the commitment made “. Indeed, the PSOE is committed, as part of the presentation of its 41st Congress, to the ban on arms shipments and to military cooperation with countries that violate international law. “We will approve a law prohibiting the shipment of weapons and military cooperation with any state that violates international law and attacks innocent civilians,” the document reads.
Spain was one of the harshest countries to condemn the massacre carried out by Israel in Gaza and highlighted the violation of international law. However, the EU did not take this step until Benjamin Netanyahu’s army attacked peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
Izquierda Unida went further and brought the case to the Prosecutor’s Office, considering that it “contravenes the agreements” adopted by the government “to eliminate any type of collaboration” with Israel, as explained by the Secretary General of the PCE, Enrique Santiago. In addition to the investigation into the possible commission of an offense against the “law of the people” enshrined in the Penal Code, he requested preventive “measures” in the face of the foreseeable arrival of two new cargo ships carrying military equipment to their destination. from Israel on November 9 and 14.
Sumar MEPs Estrella Galán (The Left) and Jaume Asens (The Greens) attack the European Commission, which they questioned about European ports used to ship weapons and military equipment to Israel. “What port control and inspection measures related to the arms trade with Israel has the Council taken so far? Do you plan to formally request all Member States, including Spain, to immediately ban the use of European ports for ships carrying military goods to Israel? » ask the parliamentarians.
However, the EU’s response to the massacre of the Palestinian population is rather lukewarm, as it is a deeply controversial issue. Although the 27 have raised their voices since Netanyahu began the massacre in Gaza, measures have been taken very slowly and the first time Israel was unanimously accused of violating international law was with the attack on UN troops. However, even then, no concrete punitive measures were taken against this country.
At that time, the French Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sánchez had already lifted the arms embargo against Israel, which Spain has applied since October 7, 2023, even if it continues to distribute weapons contracted before that date. There is no unanimity to take this decision as a whole, nor to review the trade agreement with Israel, which establishes in article two the obligation to respect international law on both sides. This revision was requested by Spain and Ireland. For the moment, it has only been decided to summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs within the framework of the Association Council, but nothing has been done because there is not even an agreement on the establishment of an agenda for this meeting. The high representative, Josep Borrell, will impose a debate on the issue during the last meeting with foreign ministers of his mandate.
