In a move that underscores the deepening chasm between the Spanish government and the State of Israel, Madrid has formally cancelled a lucrative contract for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, AFP reported on Monday. <\/p>\n
This decision, valued at nearly 700 million euros, was formalized on Spain\u2019s official public contracts platform on September 9, just a day before Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez publicly unveiled a decree to “consolidate in law” a ban on military equipment sales and purchases with Israel, the news agency said.<\/p>\n
The cancelled contract involved the acquisition of 12 SILAM rocket launcher systems, which are a variant of the PULS platform developed by Israeli firm Elbit Systems. This information was confirmed by the International Institute for Strategic Studies\u2019 Military Balance. <\/p>\n
The cancellation is part of a broader government effort to sever military ties with the Jewish state. It was also reported that Spain has now formalized the cancellation of a separate \u20ac287 million contract for 168 anti-tank missile launchers, which were to be manufactured under a license from an Israeli company. <\/p>\n
According to the Spanish daily La Vanguardia, the government is conducting a wider review aimed at phasing out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces entirely. <\/p>\n
The move comes amid escalating tensions between Madrid and Jerusalem. Sanchez has positioned himself as one of Europe\u2019s most outspoken critics of Israel\u2019s policy in Gaza, which he and his leftist government have referred to as “the genocide in Gaza.”<\/p>\n
In November of 2023, Spain\u2019s Ambassador to Israel was summoned<\/a> by the Foreign Ministry after Sanchez claimed that “Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza.”<\/p>\n Last April, Sanchez criticized<\/a> what he called Israel’s “disproportionate response” in the Gaza war, saying it risks “destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world”.<\/p>\n In May, Spanish Foreign Minister Jos\u00e9 Manuel Albares advocated<\/a> for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n On Friday, Spain summoned<\/a> Israel\u2019s acting ambassador in Madrid, Dana Erlich, to address accusations made by Netanyahu a day earlier.<\/p>\n The diplomatic spat began after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez announced on Monday that his country would take measures to pressure Israel to end the Gaza war. During that announcement, made in a televised address, Sanchez said, “Spain, as you know, doesn\u2019t have nuclear bombs, nor aircraft carriers or large oil reserves. We alone can\u2019t stop the Israeli offensive.”<\/p>\n