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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Spanish legal experts urge arms embargo on Israel

A group of legal experts in Spain called on the government Tuesday to impose an arms embargo on Israel in response to its ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Jurists for Palestine, a non-governmental organization (NGO) made up of Spanish judges, prosecutors, and lawyers, presented a petition with over 1,200 signatures to parliament, urging sanctions, including an arms embargo.

Speaking outside parliament, Pilar Barrado, a judge and spokesperson for the NGO, condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and violations of international law, stating that the situation had become intolerable.

“Human rights are universal. There can’t be a world where some are allowed to massacre others,” Barrado emphasized.

She highlighted that, under Article 93 of the Spanish Constitution, the government and parliament are responsible for ensuring compliance with international treaties and their resolutions.

“We demand that the government and all parliamentary groups uphold these resolutions. It is crucial to adopt measures such as the (International Criminal Court’s) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant,” Barrado continued. “We also demand that the Spanish parliament pass resolutions to implement UN resolutions, guarantee protections for Palestinian refugees, cut diplomatic, commercial, and military ties with Israel, and ensure UN oversight to restore living conditions in Gaza.”

The initiative also gained support from representatives of the Sumar alliance, part of Spain’s left-wing coalition government, as well as the Podemos party and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC).

In a separate report, the El Diario newspaper claimed Spain allowed a US ship carrying weapons to Israel to dock at the port of Rota. However, government spokesperson Pilar Alegria denied the report.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 people, predominantly women and children. Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

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