Spain’s parliamentary Defense Committee has voted down a proposal aimed to ban Israeli defense firms from participating in arms and security exhibitions held in the country.
The motion, introduced by the left-wing Sumar alliance—a junior partner in the governing coalition—did not gather enough support to pass, as the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) abstained. According to El Español, the proposal was also rejected by the conservative People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party.
Beyond the exclusion of Israeli firms, the proposed legislation called on Spain to lobby the European Union to set legal restrictions on the participation of defense delegations and companies from countries accused of genocide or major violations of international law.
During the committee discussion, Sumar MP Félix Alonso criticized the PSOE for what he described as a lack of political will to impose an arms embargo on Israel or to halt arms-related maritime shipments.
“If a weapon is systematically used in the commission of war crimes, its production or supply implicates the state,” Alonso stated.
PSOE representative Caridad Rives acknowledged the situation in Gaza as “difficult and painful,” noting that the Spanish government was “seeking to strike a balance.” She confirmed that military cooperation with Israeli firms had already been suspended and said the country was reassessing its defense procurement options.
Rives also noted that a separate motion put forward by PSOE addressing related concerns had been rejected during the same session. She condemned the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, referring to it as a “massacre.”
The vote follows last week's announcement by Spain’s Defense Ministry suspending a 2023 contract with an Israeli defense company (Rafael) for the production of Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles. The decision came amid growing criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have caused significant civilian deaths and drawn international condemnation.
