Italian Prime Minister drags feet on Israeli sanctions, while Spanish counterpart supports them
Spain has taken a strong stance against Israel, joining South Africa's genocide lawsuit at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2024 and demanding Israel's exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2026. These moves come amidst concerns over human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza.
In a recent visit to Spain, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz found himself in the midst of a heated debate over Israel policy. Differences in Israel policy were a dominant topic at the joint press conference, with Spain expressing support for EU Commission sanctions against Israel, while Germany has shown a more supportive stance toward Israel and hesitated on sanctions.
The controversy within the German government is evident, with the SPD advocating for more pressure on Israel, the CSU strictly against further sanctions, and the CDU showing some openness to personal sanctions but resistance to trade sanctions.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In September 2022, Spain announced a complete arms embargo and a travel ban for individuals involved in human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza. These measures are part of a broader strategy to pressure the Israeli government.
The EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed several punitive measures, including withdrawing trade preferences that affect 37% of Israel's goods exports to the EU and imposing sanctions on radical politicians like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Spain's stance against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest is not new. In 2022, during the Vuelta a España cycling race, the Israeli team Israel-Premier Tech faced protests due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The team eventually removed 'Israel' from its jerseys due to the protests.
Sánchez compares Israel's potential participation in ESC 2026 to Russia's exclusion after its comprehensive military attack on Ukraine in 2022. Spain believes that the Israeli government's respect for international humanitarian law, as outlined in the EU-Israel strategic partnership agreement, is being violated.
Spain is among the EU countries that have strongly criticized Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip. The meetings between Merz and Sánchez focused on bilateral relations, European policy, and security policy, but the Israel issue was undeniably a significant point of discussion.
Merz reiterated that Germany stands by Israel's side but did not comment on the EU Commission's proposed sanctions. The German government will discuss its position on the EU Commission's proposals during the informal council in early October.
As the international community watches, the debate over Israel's actions in Gaza continues, with Spain leading the charge for accountability and respect for international law.
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