Madrid has passed a new law that effectively blocks all transactions involving the sale of weapons and military equipment to Israel. All active contracts with Israeli companies are annulled, and applications for new licenses are now automatically rejected. However, the document includes a clause that allows the government, in exceptional cases, to authorize individual transactions if necessary to protect national interests. Authorities emphasize that such situations should be extremely rare and are not planned in the near future.
The political party Sumar, which is part of the ruling coalition, has opposed this provision. Representatives of the movement are demanding stricter measures and the elimination of any loopholes for possible supplies. They insist that parliament amend the law to make the embargo absolute. Minister of Culture and official Sumar spokesperson Ernest Urtasun expressed confidence that the public will support tightening the restrictions.
Among the new prohibitions is the refusal to grant permits for the transit of aviation fuel for Israeli military aircraft. Previously, this issue was not regulated. The import of goods produced in territories considered illegally occupied is also now banned. However, the volume of such products is insignificant for the Spanish economy.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo called the move important and innovative for Europe. According to him, Spain has effectively not supplied weapons to Israel since October 2023, and now this is formalized at the legislative level. Nevertheless, the provision for exceptions has drawn criticism from Sumar and several other parties.
The authorities explain that they kept the option for exceptional decisions to maintain flexibility in unforeseen circumstances. The Council of Ministers will be able to review individual cases if they are deemed critically important for the country.
The gradual severing of ties with the Israeli defense industry is expected to allow Spain to become more independent in the military sphere. At the same time, according to government estimates, there will be no economic losses or damage to the armed forces. However, there is a downside: the training of Spanish fighter pilots may be at risk, as maintenance of F-5 aircraft depends on an Israeli company.
The law is expected to be approved by Congress within the next month. Despite disagreements within the coalition, the government is counting on majority support. Authorities have pledged to report regularly on the progress of the new measures. The opposition People’s Party urges not to oversimplify the situation, reminding that replacing Israeli components in the weaponry and equipment of security forces is complex.
The document was officially adopted on September 23, 2025. The fate of the embargo now depends on the final parliamentary vote.
