According to an investigation by the anti-arms trafficking organization, Spain has signed contracts worth 1.027 million euros with Israeli companies and subsidiaries in Spain since the start of the offensive on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
The report, published on Tuesday and quoted by the Europa Presse agency, is titled “Business as usual: analysis of the Spanish arms trade in 2022-2023 and the case for an arms embargo on Israel.”
The Centre d’Estudis per la Pau JM Delàs (JM Delàs Peace Research Centre) was created in 1999 following a campaign against the arms trade that began in 1988.
The organization is currently an independent think tank on disarmament and peace issues based in the province of Girona, in the Spanish region of Catalonia.
The investigation, published today on the organization’s official website, focuses on the arms trade between Spain and Israel and aims to show that, allegedly, “despite the extreme gravity of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip,” military relations between Madrid and Tel Aviv remain “essentially as they were before October 7 last year.”
On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and triggering a massive military response from Israel that has killed more than 38,000 people to date, according to health authorities controlled by the Palestinian Islamist group.
The experts who prepared the document say that, unlike what happens with exports, there is no official annual report on imports from the Spanish trade minister.
The study reports that “most of the defense material bearing an Israeli patent is produced in Spain through subsidiaries of Israeli companies and other (weapons) manufacturing companies under technology transfer agreements.”
“Spain continues to enter into contracts with Israeli military companies and their respective subsidiaries in Spain – or with other Spanish companies producing Israeli products – through a technology agreement,” the report said.
According to the same investigation, the “military relationship” was only affected in relation to Spanish exports, despite the fact that the Madrid government has assured several times that no new license for the export of defense products has been granted to Israel since October last year.
“Despite this, exports continued,” the report said.
Experts from the Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau Center note that in November last year, the Nammo Palencia company exported ammunition worth 987 thousand euros to Israel.
On the other hand, the document says, Spain also exported defense materials such as weapons, ammunition, tanks and armored vehicle components to Israel, despite the fact that the relevant database indicates that these materials will be re-exported to the Philippines.
Relations between Spain and Israel are not limited to the import and export of defense products, but also develop in the context of providing products and services to Israeli companies for the armed forces or security agencies in Spain.
According to the same source, there is also business cooperation between Spanish and Israeli companies on access to third-country markets; cooperation between universities, companies and institutions in research and teaching projects.
These projects are developed within the EU, “at institutional level between two countries” or in other states, in addition to bilateral cooperation in information and security matters.
The report also analyses the legality of these operations and the possibility of imposing an arms embargo on the State of Israel and proposes measures for legislative changes in Spain to control the arms trade.
For researchers, the report highlights the authorization of arms exports to Israel, stating that this is “an activity contrary to the legislation on the matter.”
The report thus highlights Article 6.3 of the Arms Trade Treaty, which states that Madrid should reject new permits and revoke or “suspend” export permits to Israel issued before October 7, 2023, that are still in effect.
“It is highly probable that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip,” the report said, adding that the Convention on the Prevention and Sanctions of the Crime of Genocide imposes an obligation on states to prevent genocide.
“Moreover, Israel undoubtedly commits crimes against humanity and war crimes,” investigators charge.
“In view of this particularly serious situation, the (Madrid) government could impose an arms embargo on Israel,” they recommend.
Despite this, the report mentions that “although” Law 53/2007 does not provide for the possibility of the Spanish State imposing an arms embargo, “this could be done through a (new) legislative measure.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.