Spain has awarded 46 contracts worth more than one billion euros to Israeli defence firms since the outbreak of the Gaza war, breaking the leftist government鈥檚 pledge not to trade arms with Israel, researchers said on Friday.
Their conclusions come after a now-cancelled deal with an Israeli company to supply bullets to the Spanish Civil Guard rocked the Socialist-led minority coalition government this week.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, one of the most outspoken critics of Israel鈥檚 military operations in Gaza, halted weapons transactions with Israel after the start of the war following Hamas鈥檚 attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
But according to Centre Delas, a Barcelona-based think tank specialising in security and defence, the government has granted 46 contracts worth $1.2 billion to Israeli companies based on data published on a public tenders platform.
Of the 46 contracts, which include deals for rocket launchers and missiles, 10 have not been formalised, the think tank said in a statement on Friday that previewed an upcoming report.
鈥業t is clearly demonstrated that the government lied, there was no pledge, that was pure propaganda,鈥� report co-author Eduardo Melero told AFP.
Although some contracts were to maintain or modernise previously acquired products, others were new deals that 鈥榗ould increase the dependence... on an industry essential to perpetrate a genocide鈥�, the statement said.
鈥業f the government had agreed a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel that included, among other measures, imports and bans on hiring Israeli defence companies or their subsidiaries, none of these contracts would have been signed,鈥� the statement added.
The interior ministry told AFP it met the commitment not to sell or buy Israeli weapons and that the report included contracts which the government has announced it will terminate.
鈥楥onsignments of equipment destined for self-defence are also included and which are not considered subject to the pledge not to sign weapons purchase contracts with Israeli companies,鈥� the ministry said.
According to Melero, items such as bulletproof material count as defence equipment in Spanish legislation and buying them 鈥榠s clearly against the pledge鈥�.
The defence ministry had not responded to a request for comment.
On Thursday, Israel condemned the cancellation of the contract to supply bullets to the Civil Guard and accused the Spanish government of 鈥榮acrificing security considerations for political purposes鈥�.
Spain 鈥榗ontinues to stand on the wrong side of history鈥攁gainst the Jewish state that is defending itself from terrorist attacks鈥�, the Israeli foreign ministry said.
The unprecedented Hamas-led attack in Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Palestinian militants also seized 251 hostages in their attack and 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel鈥檚 military response in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis and killed at least 51,439 people, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory鈥檚 health ministry.