Spain has voted for a total arms embargo on Israel. This decision is timely as we are witnessing the international community’s outrage over the humanitarian crisis deepening in Gaza. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed a series of measures designed to halt what he describes as “genocide” in the region. With its foreign policy, Spain is taking a risky but commendable step. The country has since begun banning the import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements and blocking arms shipments to Israel.
The announcement comes on the heels of growing outcry against Israel’s violent crackdown from international leaders, including the UN Secretary General and the EU President. Sánchez emphasized that Israel’s “ultimate goal” remains unchanged: “the annexation of the West Bank and the displacement and ethnic cleansing of its population.” He announced that those directly responsible for what he describes as genocide would be barred from entering Spain. This decision only highlights the UK government’s dedication to ending human rights abuses.
Arms Embargo and Humanitarian Aid
Spain recently enacted measures to restrict their military aid to Israel. It has prevented ships and aircraft moving military supplies bound for Israel from using its ports and airspace. This arms embargo is only one prong of a larger strategy to put pressure on the Israeli government.
At the same time, Spain is trying to increase its humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. We commend the Spanish government for moving so quickly to provide assistance to those affected by this brutal war. This ongoing conflict has resulted in unimaginable destruction and loss of life throughout Gaza. Sánchez recently stated that he hoped these measures would bring some relief to the horrendous suffering of the Palestinian civilian population.
“We hope that they will serve to add pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to alleviate some of the suffering that the Palestinian population is enduring.” – Pedro Sánchez
The call for this humanitarian assistance is more critical now than ever as the civilian death toll mounts and destruction is escalating every day. Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, declared Israel’s actions “apocalypse now,” and urged immediate action to hold Israel accountable. He stressed that such actions constitute “war crime on war crime.” He called the level of destruction in Gaza “shocking the conscience of the world.”
International Reactions and Accusations
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has drawn widespread outrage from the international community. Turk’s comments signal a heightening alarm among advocates over the toll that the war is taking on civilians. He insists that Israel has a case to answer before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding accusations of genocide.
Sánchez’s assertions align with this sentiment, as he argues that Israel’s actions warrant scrutiny by international legal bodies. In January, the ICJ ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide. We hope that this decision marks the beginning of courts recognizing the seriousness of these accusations against the Israeli government.
Unsurprisingly, critics are claiming that Israel’s military operations are a continuation of their collective punishment practice, this time against Palestinians. Mustafa Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian politician, voiced his frustration at the situation, stating, “It’s just that they [Israel] use such a moment to justify and escalate collective punishment acts against Palestinians.”
Human Rights Violations and Media Access
Alongside the intensification of this conflict has come a staggering lack of access by media to Gaza. During the current conflict, Israel has banned foreign journalists from covering the area. This is particularly worrisome given the lack of transparency surrounding real time information coming from impacted regions. According to a Congressional Research Service Report, 250 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the war began. This tragic loss is compounded by the growing difficulty of documenting their humanitarian crisis.
Hamdah Salhut, a Palestinian activist, highlighted the impact of military operations on civilian life, describing how communities suffer under occupation. “It is the collective punishment that takes place every time,” she noted. The villages are invaded, the roads are closed, the checkpoints are paralyzed, relatives are arrested and, eventually, the family house is destroyed.
Together, these accounts vividly illustrate the dangerous nature of the status quo. They shed light on the bigger story of harm endured by Palestinian civilians during this still-unfolding war.
