The Spanish government has cancelled a €6.6 million arms deal with the Israeli company IMI Systems following intense backlash from junior coalition partners and growing domestic criticism over the country’s stance on the Gaza conflict. The decision, announced Thursday, signals a reaffirmation of Spain’s foreign policy position of distancing itself from military cooperation with Israel amid ongoing allegations of human rights abuses in Gaza.
A Controversial Contract
The scrapped deal involved the purchase of 15.3 million rounds of 9mm ammunition intended for Spain’s Guardia Civil police force. The Interior Ministry had initially argued that the contract—reportedly at an advanced stage—was too costly to cancel and necessary to maintain operational readiness for domestic security.
However, news of the deal sparked an outcry from within the ruling coalition, particularly from the left-wing Sumar platform led by Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz. Sumar and its affiliated parties condemned the agreement as a “flagrant breach” of Spain’s policy to hold Israel accountable for its military actions in Gaza. The United Left, a group within Sumar, declared it would not tolerate “any part of the executive financing a genocidal state.”
Political and Ethical Backlash
The contract became a flashpoint in an already tense relationship between the socialist Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and its junior coalition partners. The dispute also coincides with ongoing debates over Sánchez’s broader defense policy, particularly his controversial push to increase Spain’s defense budget to meet NATO’s 2% GDP target—a move Sumar called “exorbitant” and “incoherent.”
Under mounting pressure, the offices of Sánchez and Díaz issued a joint statement on Thursday confirming the cancellation of the arms order. The Spanish government will now block the import license for the ammunition and seek legal counsel to finalize the contract’s termination.
“All paths of negotiation have been exhausted,” the statement read. “The parties that make up the progressive coalition government are firmly committed to the Palestinian cause and to peace in the Middle East. That is why Spain will neither buy arms from, nor sell arms to, Israeli companies.”
Spain’s Firm Stance on Gaza
Since the escalation of the conflict in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, Prime Minister Sánchez has been one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s military response. He has publicly questioned Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law and described the death toll in Gaza as “truly unbearable.”
In alignment with that rhetoric, Spain formally recognized the State of Palestine in 2024 and suspended all military cooperation with Israel. Government sources have now clarified that all outstanding Israeli arms contracts signed before October 7 will also be voided.
Broader Implications
The cancellation of the contract is likely to reinforce Spain’s diplomatic position on the Israel-Palestine conflict and could strain relations with Israel, which continues to deny allegations of genocide currently being reviewed by the International Court of Justice. It also highlights growing divisions within European governments as public opinion shifts and international pressure mounts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
With this move, Spain positions itself at the forefront of European efforts to tie arms trade and foreign policy to human rights considerations—an approach that may influence other governments grappling with similar dilemmas.
