Spain continues to buy weapons from Israel even though the government ensures that it no longer acquires them

The Ministry of Defense has not wanted to make statements to this newspaper about these operations, which could have been made by this department, by a company in the sector under public contract, or mixed between the administration and the private sector. The trade database includes merchandise transactions carried out with the outside based on the data of the Customs and Special Taxes of the Tax Agency.

These transactions re -evidence of acquisition of bullets for the Civil Guard to an Israeli company.

Before the controversy, the department that pilota Fernando Grande-Marlaska decided to terminate the award since, supposedly, the Executive keeps the sale of offensive material suspended.

Pedro Sánchez assured April 10 in Congress that transactions had been cut after the outbreak of the war in Gaza and, last May he brought his policy of pressure internationally to Israel to the point of not let They transport weapons to that country they carry in Spanish ports to refuel. «Stay calm, that since October 7 Spain does not develop any operation of sale of weapons with Israel, none. I want you to have it clear so that it is also clear, logically, the whole of Spanish citizenship, ”said the head of the Government to ERC spokesman in the lower house, Gabriel Rufián, in the plenary.

The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, again guaranteed it last October before the pressure of adding and, specifically, of the Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy, who doubting the word of Sánchez had controlled the contracts and accused Socialists to continue maintaining deals with Hebrew companies.

Only aeronautical pieces

Robles then said that the only exception that existed were the spare parts of aeronautical pieces since otherwise there were airplanes and ships that would not continue to work. «I said it until satiety. From October 7 Spain neither buys nor sells weapons to Israel. Concrete and punctual issue is that some spare parts, especially the air and space army, which are Israelis, have been sent in order to be repaired so that our planes can fly. I think that at this point that someone can doubt the clear, unequivocal and firm position of the Spanish government in relation to Israel does not proceed. We have not been able to recognize Palestine, asking for cessation to the fire and being absolutely critical of Israel, ”he abounded on November 20 in an appearance in the Defense Commission of Congress.

In this category, an import operation from Israel worth 3.2 million euros made in September would be framed. “This operation results from the return to Spain of material previously sent to Israel with a temporary basis, in order to be subject to repairs,” collects the legend of the Secretariat of State for Commerce.

A minimum, not the official figure

In the whole year, and according to the data of that department, imports from Israel for the weapons and ammunition chapter amounted to 7 million euros for a total of 10,871 kilos of material, including the aforementioned parts arrangement operation. But according to sources in the sector consulted by ABC, the real acquisition figure related to weapons “multiplies 7 million several times.” They argue several reasons. The first is that this chapter collects final products, that is, already finished, and not pieces of military material “that are scattered by several chapters.” The second, and more important, are the acquisitions of advanced security systems and equipment.

And it is that a good part of the systems that are incorporated into the most modern armament of the Armed Forces are Israelis and has never stopped acquiring that material. A military technology specialist gives this example: «The tank we bought may be manufactured in Germany, but the shooting guide system, or the night vision, or the transmissions, can be Israeli. And of course Spain will not stop making the necessary purchases to that country to have its defense material.

“All this is a great smoke curtain of the government,” explain intelligence experts consulted by ABC. «The reality is that we cannot do without that country. To say that buying Israeli military systems is not acquiring weapons from that country is a curious way to see this matter. A missile without a system to launch it and direct it against an objective is useless, ”he adds graphically. For example, the Army of Earth has acquired key technology to Israel within its modernization plan, which in no case has been suspended by the conflict of the Middle East.

There are three main ways to acquire this type of material from Israel. The first, through accredited Spanish companies, which are the ones that buy it there and then sell it in our country; the second, to consortiums that have Israeli companies with others from different countries, such as the United States, which is where the purchase is made although the technology is Hebrew; and the third, to companies that have Israeli capital regardless of where they operate. That is, in one way or another in the end that country always appears.

Usual contacts

The same thing happens in the field of the Interior. Weapons are not bought from Israel, but technology, and the meetings of Hebrew companies with the highest responsible for the Security Forces and the National Intelligence Center are common. Also in the field of communications systems, purchases have been made to that country for being its technology among the most advanced in the world. The key, then, is not to buy bullets, because there are many suppliers and you can choose. Where the game is really played is in the technology of military and security use, which in no case can we give up.

But in addition, although in October of last year the purchase of bullets mentioned above for the Civil Guard was canceled, the government has subsequently awarded Israeli companies at least five military material contracts, including one of the great ammunition supply. These five awards add a global amount of more than 9 million euros.

“There is a lot of hypocrisy in all this,” the sources consulted continue; Spain needs that material to guarantee its safety and what would be irresponsible is for the Government to renounce it to maintain a certain political discourse or, worse, content its radical partners ».

Experts point out another way to avoid purchases to Israel, but it would take a long time to have results and it is utopian: «multiply the cost in R&D Our own systems. But investments would have to be very high and also the funds could not be faced with the purchase of material from other countries that are now made until Spain had full autonomy in this field, ”they point out.