Following public and media stress, the Spanish authorities has introduced the fast cancelation of a $7 million contract to acquire arms from a privately-owned Israeli firm. The announcement represents an extra escalation in relations between the nations and a worsening of Israel’s picture in Europe, after Spain declared a weapons embargo on Israel, has offered ships carrying protection gear certain for Israel to name at its ports and led efforts within the EU to impose sanctions of Israel. Israel recalled its Ambassador to Spain to protest the pro-Palestinian coverage led by the federal government and Minister of International Affairs Israel Katz has accused Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of “embracing Hamas terrorists.”
This week a Spanish radio station revealed that regardless of the Spanish authorities’s declared voluntary arms embargo on Israel and dedication to droop weapons exports to Israel, Spain’s Ministry of Inside awarded a $6.6 million contract earlier this month to an Israeli firm to ship 15 million 9 millimeter pistol bullets. In line with the report the contract was awarded to Spanish firm Guardian Protection & Homeland Safety SA, which is managed by Israeli firm Guardian Holdings Ltd. The Spanish firm is headed by Ilan Arzooan and has beforehand provide weapons to the Spanish police, which is beneath the duty of the Ministry of Inside.
The uncovering of the deal stirred up a storm of controversy in Spain, and particularly inside the authorities, after the dedication by the Ministry of Protection to cease shopping for weapons, ammunition and protection gear from Israel after October 7, 2023. The contract to purchase bullets from the Israeli-owned firm was signed on October 22, 2024, after it received a Ministry of Inside tender to provide the ammunition. Spain’s Minister of Protection Margarita Robles printed a public letter responding to calls for by Sumar, the left wing occasion within the authorities coalition, saying that the Protection Ministry has signed no new contracts to acquire protection gear from Israel. As beforehand talked about it was the Ministry of Inside that signed the contract.
Earlier this week, Spain’s Ministry of inside stated it will, ‘work instantly” to cancel the contract awarded to the Israeli firm. It added that it will disqualify Israeli corporations from bidding for future tenders, “whereas the warfare in Gaza continues.” The federal government spokesperson stated, “The second that the contract was dropped at our consideration, the federal government started a swift course of to cancel it,” and “the Spanish authorities’s dedication to not purchase or promote weapons to Israel stays in place.” Politicians on the left in Spain referred to as on the Minister of Inside to resign over the incident.
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on October 30, 2024.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.
