Spain expands anti-Israel measures; bans Golan, Judea and Samaria products amid rising tensions with Jerusalem

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Spain has launched a fierce anti-Israel campaign aimed at undermining and isolating the Jewish state on the international stage.

By Ailin Vilches Arguello, The Algemeiner

The Spanish government has announced a ban on imports from hundreds of Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights—making Spain the second European Union country to implement such a policy as the latest move in its ongoing effort to boycott Israel.

According to a statement from Spain’s Ministry of Finance on Monday, the ban—set to take effect on Tuesday—is the result of a September decree “adopting urgent measures against genocide in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian population.”

The regulation “prohibits … the entry into Spain of products originating from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

Among all members of the EU, Spain is the second country to take such action, following Slovenia—one of the bloc’s smallest economies—which became the first EU member to ban Israeli products in August, and potentially to be joined by Ireland, where parliament is currently working on a similar measure.

As a major trade partner of Spain, Israel exports roughly $850 million in goods to the country each year—about half the value of Spanish exports to Israel—with products from Judea and Samaria and the Golan making up only a small fraction of those shipments, according to the Israel Export Institute.

Spain’s newly implemented measure marks its latest attempt to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, as ties between the two countries continue to deteriorate amid ongoing tensions.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Spain has launched a fierce anti-Israel campaign aimed at undermining and isolating the Jewish state on the international stage.

Even as Spain ramps up its anti-Israel campaign, authorities this week granted Airbus exceptional permission to produce aircraft and drones using Israeli technology at its Spanish plants—despite having banned military and dual-use products from the Jewish state just two months ago.

Approved last Tuesday by the cabinet and defended by several ministers this week, the exemption reflects the pressure from companies and domestic interests that some of Europe’s toughest critics of Israel’s recent war have faced as they attempt to impose trade sanctions.

In September, Spain passed a law to take “urgent measures to stop the genocide in Gaza,” banning trade in defense material and dual-use products from Israel, as well as imports and advertising of products originating from Israeli settlements.

On Tuesday, Spain’s consumer ministry ordered seven travel booking websites to take down 138 listings for holiday homes in Palestinian territories, warning they could face sanctions if they continue advertising Israeli-owned properties in those areas.

Earlier this year, the Spanish government also announced it would bar entry to individuals involved in what it called a “genocide against Palestinians,” block Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from Spanish ports and airspace, and enforce an embargo on products from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

Spain has also canceled a €700 million ($825 million) deal for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, as the government conducts a broader review to systematically phase out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has faced increasing backlash from his country’s political leaders and Jewish community, who accuse him of fueling antisemitic hostility.