Spanish PM sparks outrage by calling Israel ‘genocidal state’

Israel summons Spanish ambassador to a dressing down after Spain’s prime minister calls Israel a “genocidal state,” claims trade with Israel has been ended.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Spain’s prime minister on Wednesday called Israel a “genocidal state,” sparking a new diplomatic row with Israel amid already tense relations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, secretary general of the left-wing Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, made the comments during a question and answer session in the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament – the Congress of Deputies.

During the session, MP Gabriel Rufian of the Republican Left of Catalonia party, accused Sanchez’s government of maintaining trade ties with Israel, calling Israel the “genocidal state.”

Sanchez responded by reiterating Rufian’s use of the term “genocidal state” and denied that the country still had trade ties with Israel.

“I want to make one thing clear here, Mr. Rufian. We do not do business with a genocidal state; we do not,” Sanchez stated.

“I believe that the other day, from this platform, I explained precisely what we were talking about when some things were mentioned that do not correspond to the truth,” he added.

Israel and Spain have a net bilateral trade valued at over $3 billion annually, roughly two-thirds of which comes from Israeli imports of Spanish goods.

Sanchez’s denial likely refers to contracts by Spain’s government with Israeli arms manufacturers, which in recent months have been embroiled by a scandal that nearly toppled the ruling coalition.

Spain’s government imposed a total arms embargo on Israel after the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel by Gaza terrorists.

The embargo bars sales to and purchase from Israel of any military equipment or supplies.

Last November, however, it was revealed that Madrid had nevertheless signed a procurement contract with an Israeli firm for 15 million 9mm bullets.

The government initially claimed it had cancelled the contract, but in April, it was reported that the contract was still in effect, prompting Madrid to vow it would unilaterally withdraw from the agreement.

Days later, however, researchers from the Barcelona-based think tank Centre Delas issued a report that since October 7, 2023, Spain has signed 46 separate defense contracts with Israeli firms at a total value estimated at $1.2 billion.

Sanchez has been a consistent critic of the Jewish state during his term as premier, in particular since October 7.

In November 2023, he accused Israel of violating international law during its war with Hamas in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire.

In May 2024, Sanchez’s government recognized unilateral Palestinian statehood, and in October, he urged the European Union to terminate the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to Sanchez’s latest comments by summoning Spanish Ambassador to Israel Ana Salomon for a formal reprimand on Thursday.

“Following the severe remarks made by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish ambassador to Israel has been summoned for a reprimand meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem tomorrow,” the Foreign Ministry said.