Israeli arms contracts put strain on Spanish PM's defense plans

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is set to appear before Congress on May 7 to defend his government's plan to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, including a €10.5 billion package aimed at modernizing the armed forces and strengthening cybersecurity and civil protection capabilities.

While Sánchez insists the increase won’t affect social spending, he has faced resistance from the Socialists' coalition partners, Sumar, and criticism from some other parties the PM relied on for his successful reelection bid in 2023.

The conservative People's Party (PP) are also calling for the plan to be put to a vote in Congress.

Israeli arms contracts 

Sumar leader Yolanda Díaz, Spain's second deputy prime minister, said on Friday that the Spanish government will have to cancel the nine contracts with Israeli arms companies that are still pending, worth more than €800 million.

The coalition agreement is "linked to the impossibility of purchasing arms from Israel," she said, because Israel is a "genocidal state" that "has killed over 50,000 people, kills children every day, and is suffocating Gaza."

The government announced on Thursday the cancellation of a €6.6 million ammunition contract with an Israeli supplier, with Díaz saying an "error" by the interior ministry was now resolved.

However, the PP announced it will take the matter to the Court of Auditors, warning that the contract termination will be costly and could have legal consequences, and accusing the government of acting out of "political interest."

Delàs Center for Peace Studies

Meanwhile, the Delàs Centre for Peace Studies has stated that the Spanish government has awarded 46 contracts to Israeli military industries worth €1.04 billion since October 7, 2023. Of these, 10 are still pending finalization.

The Delàs Centre released these figures on Friday morning as a preview of its report on military relations between Spain and Israel.

It claims that the Spanish government "has continued to contract military products from military companies despite repeatedly stating on several occasions that this was not the case."