Spain: Opposition accuses gov’t of 'hypocrisy' over arms sales to Israel

Spain’s left-wing opposition party Podemos yesterday accused the government of “hypocrisy” as it continued to sell arms to Israel in spite of its condemnation of Tel Aviv’s actions in Gaza, Anadolu reported.

Speaking during a seminar held to discuss a Delàs Centre for Peace Studies report on arms exports to Israel in 2022 and 2023, party leader, Ione Belarra, stated that Madrid’s weapons sales to Tel Aviv since 7 October 2023 have amounted to €1.27 billion ($1.37 billion).

She added that these facts contradict the claims made by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who asserted that no arms sales to Israel had been conducted since the beginning of its war on the Gaza Strip last October.

“I have no words to describe the shame I feel about the hypocrisy of the Spanish Government,” Belarra wrote on X.

I have no words to describe the shame I feel about the hypocrisy of the Spanish Government. Deceptive measures during the election campaign, while behind the scenes they have been awarding contracts worth €1 billion to Israeli arms companies since October. Not with my silence.

— Ione Belarra (@ionebelarra) July 9, 2024

The government has not commented on the Delàs Centre’s report or Belarra’s accusations of hypocrisy.

Spain has called for Israel to cease the war on Gaza and recognised the State of Palestine in May, reaffirming its support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

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