US accuses Spain of 'emboldening Hamas terrorists' with its measures against Israel
A US State Department spokesperson has called the Spanish government's plan to veto the entry of ships and planes carrying weapons for the Israeli army to its military bases in Spain "deeply troubling"
The Trump administration has definitely set its sights on Spain. The international policy that Pedro Sánchez's government has been advocating for months, especially its criticism - if not outright rejection - of the increase in military spending demanded by the United States and the tariff policy imposed by Washington, had already soured relations between the two countries. However, the latest decisions taken by Spain's PSOE-Sumar coalition-led government regarding the conflict in Gaza have further heightened tensions between the two countries and only time will tell if this translates into a clash of uncertain consequences.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares was very eloquent on Tuesday when he stated that Spain is "by far the country in the world that is doing the most for Palestine, for Gazan civilians, for peace and for human rights." This statement endorsed the nine measures announced by Prime Minister Sánchez on Monday to increase pressure on Israel. This entire move has allowed the socialist leader to establish a political profile far removed from the alleged corruption cases uncovered around him and, internally, to secure the unanimous support of all his partners at a delicate moment when he's on the eve of budget negotiations and facing a complicated judicial horizon.
Nevertheless, across Spain's borders, especially across the Atlantic, the nine measures have not been received in the same way. A spokesperson for the US State Department stated this Wednesday that the Spanish government's decision in response to the "genocide" in Gaza - Sánchez used this term on Monday - "emboldens Hamas terrorists", as did the decision to veto ships and planes carrying weapons destined for the Israeli army from entering Spain. "It is deeply troubling that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit US operations and turn its back on Israel on the same day that six people were killed in Jerusalem," the spokesperson said in an email to Reuters.
US bases in Rota and Morón
In reality, Spain's arms embargo on Israel has been in place since 2023, as has the ban on buying and selling military equipment to that country. Spanish airspace and ports are closed to all planes and ships transporting defence material destined for the Israeli army. All that the Spanish government has done now is to include it in a royal decree law to "legally consolidate" this ban.
In practice, this veto has little effect on shipments supported, for example, by the US armed forces, since the Spanish authorities lack the authority to inspect ships or planes that call at the US bases in Rota (Cadiz) and Morón (Seville). According to the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed between the two countries, the United States must obtain authorisation from Spain's standing committee under the Ministry of Defence in Madrid for various loading and unloading operations of ammunition and explosives, as well as for their land, sea or air transport within Spanish territory. However, under no circumstances is the US obliged to declare the final destination of these shipments when stopovers are made.
