September 8, 2025 | 09:32 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, on Monday, September 8, 2025, announced new measures to stop the genocide in Gaza.
"What Israel is doing is not defending itself, it is exterminating a defenseless population," said Sanchez in his televised speech, as reported by Anadolu.
"We hope that (the measures) will serve to add pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to alleviate some of the suffering that the Palestinian population is enduring," said Sanchez as reported by Al Arabiya.
He emphasized that although Spain has been de facto implementing a ban on arms exports to Israel since 2023, his government will soon make that ban permanent.
Fuel-carrying ships to Israel will be prohibited from docking at Spanish ports. Aircraft carrying military equipment will also be banned from passing through Spanish airspace.
Sanchez added that individuals "directly involved in the genocide, human rights violations, and war crimes in Gaza" will be prohibited from entering Spain.
Other measures include banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza and limiting consular services only to Spanish citizens residing in the occupied territories.
Additionally, Spain will bolster its presence in Rafah by deploying more troops and launching a joint initiative with the Palestinian Authority to distribute food and medicine.
Spain will also increase its contribution to the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) by 10 million euros (approximately Rp196.3 billion) and promise a new humanitarian aid of 150 million euros for Gaza next year.
"We know these measures will not be enough to put an end to the war crimes, but we hope they serve to apply pressure to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people," said Sanchez.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated in a release that Sanchez is attempting to divert public attention from his domestic corruption scandal and categorized his actions as "antisemitic."
Israel responded to Sanchez's directive by banning Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego, both from the left-wing junior coalition partner Sumar, from entering Israel.
Diaz has criticized Israel's genocidal war in Gaza and violations of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, calling for international sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel for its practices.
Rego also described Israel as a "genocidal state" for its military actions in Gaza and urged the European Union to sever all ties with Israel and impose sanctions.
In recent months, Israel has banned the entry of many Western officials and activists who have shown solidarity with Palestine and criticized Israel's military actions in Gaza.
Israel has killed more than 64,000 Palestinian citizens in brutal attacks in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war in the enclave.
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