The left wants explanations for the use of Spanish ports as transit points for weapons destined for Israel, despite the fact that the Government assured that this type of authorization had been suspended. According to an investigation by Progressive International and the Palestinian Youth Movement published by elDiario.es, there were at least 25 trips from the US with military cargo between May and September of this year that stopped at the port of Algeciras. In total, 1,185 shipments with military supplies have been detected, the recipient of which is the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Podemos demanded from the Government an “immediate response” to what it considered a “shame and an “unacceptable” action. ”We demand that responsibilities be assumed by the Government that is not complying with the law. Relations with the genocidal State of Israel must be broken and a total arms embargo applied,” said the spokesperson, Pablo Fernández, in a press conference in which he assured that this is a violation of the law. And Spanish law 53/2007 establishes full commitment to the International Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits transfers – which includes transit – of military material to recipients who could use it to commit war crimes such as attacks on civilians, crimes against humanity or genocide, which places Israel in a destiny not compatible with said Treaty.
For the moment, the Government has limited itself to saying that “all necessary measures will be adopted” to guarantee “that a Spanish port is no longer used as a stopover to send military material to Israel, which had been the commitment. In fact, the PSOE commits in the framework presentation of its 41st Congress to the prohibition of the shipment of weapons and military cooperation with countries that violate international law. “We will approve a law that prohibits the shipment of weapons and military cooperation with any State that violates International Law and attacks innocent civilians,” the document reads.
Spain has been one of the harshest countries in condemning the massacre that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza and has pointed out the violation of international law. However, the EU did not take that step until Benjamin Netanyahu’s army attacked the blue helmets in southern Lebanon.
Izquierda Unida has gone a step further and has reported the matter to the Prosecutor’s Office, understanding that it “contravenes the agreements” adopted by the Government “to eliminate any type of collaboration” with Israel, as explained by the general secretary of the PCE, Enrique Santiago. In addition to the investigation for the possible commission of a crime against the “law of people” typified in the Penal Code, he requested preventive “measures” in the face of the foreseeable arrival of two new freighters with military material bound for Israel on the next 9 and 14 November.
The MEPs of Sumar Estrella Galán (The Left) and Jaume Asens (The Greens) have taken aim at the European Commission, which they have questioned about the European ports that are being used to ship weapons and military material to Israel. “What port control and inspection measures relating to arms trade with Israel has the Council taken to date? Do you plan to formally request from all Member States, including Spain, the immediate prohibition of the use of European ports for ships with military cargo destined for Israel?” ask the parliamentarians.
However, the EU’s response to the massacre of the Palestinian population is quite lukewarm since it is a deeply divisive issue. Although the 27 have been raising the tone since Netanyahu began the massacre in Gaza, the steps have been taken very slowly and the first time that Israel was unanimously accused of violating international law was with the attack on the troops. of the UN. However, not even at that time concrete punitive measures were taken against that country.
By then, the French Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sánchez had already raised the arms embargo on Israel, which Spain has applied since October 7, 2023, although it continues to dispense weapons contracted prior to that date. There is no unanimity to make this decision en bloc, nor is there unanimity to review the trade agreement with Israel, which establishes in its article two the obligation to respect international law on both sides. This review was requested by Spain and Ireland. For the moment, it was only decided to convene the Foreign Minister within the framework of the Association Council, but nothing has been done because there is no agreement to even establish an agenda for that meeting. The high representative, Josep Borrell, will force a debate on the matter in the last meeting with the foreign ministers of his mandate.
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