Sumar has requested the government to “immediately cancel” all ongoing contracts to purchase weapons from the Israeli military industry, through a letter sent by the Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, to the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, on behalf of the five ministries of the government. Unlike Podemos, Sumar does not question that, as repeatedly stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, “Spain has not authorized any arms sales to Israel since October 7”, when Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis triggering a new escalation in the conflict that has already cost the lives of 42,000 Palestinians. However, the minority partner of the PSOE wants to take it a step further and adds: “There are some ongoing purchase contracts with Israeli supplier companies and what we ask is that they be canceled immediately”. The proposal is the result of a rigorous and exhaustive review effort to ensure the full embargo of arms to Israel, beyond the policy of not authorizing new licenses, already in force since the beginning of the conflict.
In reality, purchases of arms from Israel are much more significant than sales, which have been very limited in recent years, as the Israeli military industry is among the top suppliers to the Spanish Armed Forces. Since October 7 of last year, the Ministry of Defense has awarded contracts to Israeli companies, either independently or in partnership with Spanish companies, totaling 1.027 billion euros, according to a report from the Delàs Center for Peace Studies. The relationship includes the High Mobility Rocket Launcher System (SILAM) for 576.4 million, the supply of 168 Spike anti-tank missiles for 237.5 million, or POD designators for air combat systems for 207.4 million. While the last two are import operations of weapons systems from the Israeli company Rafael, the first is a manufacturing contract in Spain with an Israeli technological partner (Elbit). The report also mentions the U.S. intelligence systems company Palantir, awarded a contract of 16.5 million euros by the Spanish Armed Forces, due to its close ties with Israel. However, the list does not include all the equipment in service. The tactical radio of the Army, supplied by Telefónica and Aicox, is the E-Lynx from the Israeli company Elbit; while the 81-millimeter shipborne mortar is from the Israeli company Cardom, and the Mini Samson towers of the RG-31 armored vehicles from Rafael, among many other equipment.
The cancellation of ongoing programs would not only deprive the Armed Forces of these systems but would also leave them without spare parts for those already in service and would require compensating the affected companies, which could go to court and claim compensation, according to military sources. In his letter, Bustinduy argues that Sumar has already made this request formally within the coalition government and also through public statements, urging to find “effective ways” to stop “any arms trade operation -and any other goods or services related to the war effort and illegal occupation- with a country involved in massive and systematic human rights violations”.
After recalling the rulings of the International Court of Justice to prevent a genocide in the Strip, disregarded by the Netanyahu government, and the extension of the conflict to Lebanon, he demands “the suspension of any ongoing contract or agreement with Israeli defense and/or security companies that are linked to both the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon and to operations in all the settlements illegally occupied by Israel in Palestine”. “This measure”, Bustinduy adds, would be “aligned with the latest statements of the president” Pedro Sánchez, who has called on the international community to cease the supply of arms to Israel, as the letter recalls, and “would allow Spain to fulfill our obligations under international law in line with the position taken by this government”.
Sumar’s demand comes at a time when the leader of Podemos, Ione Belarra, has called for the cessation of commercial and diplomatic relations with Israel and has conditioned the support of its five deputies in Congress for the next budgets on this point. This Monday, dozens of Cultural figures such as filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, writer Alana S. Portero, actress Victoria Luengo, presenter Andreu Buenafuente, and artist Rozalén, among others, have asked Pedro Sánchez in a letter to “take urgent measures to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel”.
