U.S. Slams Spanish Arms Embargo on Israel as Prime Minister Sanchez Laments Lack of Nuclear Weapons to Stop Gaza War

Latest Developments

Ban Has Potential to Limit U.S. Operations: The State Department expressed concerns over Spain’s decision to impose an arms ban on Israel, saying the “measures embolden terrorists.” A spokesperson for the department stated that it was “deeply concerning that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit U.S. operations and to turn its back on Israel on the same day six individuals were killed in Jerusalem.” Spain’s permanent ban would prevent ships and airplanes carrying weapons and fuel to Israel from entering Spanish ports or airspace, as well as denying entry to those who served with the IDF in Gaza.
Sanchez Laments Spain Can’t Stop Israel With Nuclear Bomb: Spain’s Socialist Party Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faced close scrutiny after he appeared to express regret that Spain lacks nuclear weapons to counter Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. “Spain, as you know, doesn’t have nuclear bombs, aircraft carriers, or large oil reserves,” Sanchez stated on September 10. “We alone can’t stop the Israeli offensive. But that doesn’t mean we won’t stop trying. Because there are causes worth fighting for, even if winning them isn’t in our sole power.” Sanchez’s opponents scorned his remarks, with Santiago Abascal, the leader of the right-wing Vox Party, retorting, “Sánchez would like to have nuclear weapons … but not to defend Spain. To defend Hamas.”
U.S.-Spanish Defense Cooperation: The proposed measures could impact NATO member Spain’s security relationship with the United States, with whom it has had a bilateral defense cooperation agreement since 1988. U.S. military personnel and assets are stationed in Spain, including at Moron Air Base and Naval Station Rota, which is the homeport for a forward-deployed U.S. Navy destroyer squadron as part of Forward-Deployed Naval Force-Europe (FDNF-E). Neither Sanchez nor the Spanish foreign ministry has responded to the State Department’s concerns over its arms embargo on Israel.

FDD Expert Response

“We have now seen the Spanish government move from political warfare against Israel to a potentially significant inhibition of U.S. military logistics operations. Combined with its increasing tolerance for antisemitic violence and intimidation, it’s becoming difficult to look away from the possibility of a strategic-level shift in how we treat Spain, with major consequences for Spain’s economy and security.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“That the prime minister of a major European country would swallow and regurgitate Hamas propaganda alleging genocide in Gaza is bad enough. But that he would threaten to use nuclear weapons against Israel demonstrates how deranged Sanchez has become in his anti-Israel activism. It is also peculiar that Prime Minister Sanchez would threaten to use imaginary weapons of mass destruction to halt an imaginary genocide.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst