Else Beekman
On 26 April 2025, the Spanish government cancelled a controversial ammunition deal with Israel. The move followed intense political pressure from the ruling coalition and widespread public outrage. Meanwhile, a new report has revealed that Spain has signed as many as 46 military contracts with Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Friday officially scrapped a €6.6 million deal for the supply of 15 million bullets by Israeli arms company IMI Systems. Within the government, coalition partner Sumar had been particularly critical, stating that the contract “violated the values Spain stands for”. Human rights organisations and activists also strongly condemned the purchase.
Israel reacts with outrage
The cancellation was met with outrage in Israel. In a sharp statement, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Spain was “sacrificing the safety of its citizens to political pressure”. Israel further accused Madrid of “being on the wrong side of history”. Diplomatic ties between the two countries had already cooled after Spain officially recognised Palestine in 2024.
46 secret military deals exposed
At the same time, a report by the Centre Delàs for Peace Studies, an institute specialising in the military industry, caused a stir. It revealed that Spain, despite an official arms embargo since October 2023, had signed 46 contracts with Israeli defence companies through exceptional procedures, worth over €1 billion. Of these, ten contracts have not yet been formally signed. Among the acquisitions are the SILAM rocket launcher system (€576 million) and SPIKE anti-tank missiles (€237 million). The Ministry of Defence defended these acquisitions by arguing that the technology is “currently irreplaceable”.
Political aftershocks in Madrid
Tensions are running high within the PSOE-Sumar coalition. Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska, under whose responsibility the controversial contract fell, has come under heavy criticism. Opposition party Partido Popular has announced it will submit the case to the Tribunal de Cuentas to investigate the use of public funds.
Calls for a full review of arms policy
Human rights organisations are now urging the Spanish government to freeze and review all military contracts with Israel. According to Centre Delàs, ten of the 46 agreements have not yet been formally signed. This fact provides an opportunity to halt further cooperation. “Moral principles should not be subordinated to economic interests,” a spokesperson said.
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