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Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz has called for the complete suspension of all association agreements between the European Union (EU) and Israel, in response to the country’s continued military offensive and blockade of Gaza, which she described as a “systematic violation of international law.”
Speaking to reporters in Madrid on Friday, Díaz — who also serves as leader of the left-wing Sumar coalition — said the EU could no longer maintain what she called “a relationship of complicity” with Israel while Palestinian civilians continued to suffer devastating losses.
“It is time for Europe to stop hiding behind diplomatic language,” Díaz said. “The association agreements that link us economically and politically to Israel must be immediately suspended. Our values are incompatible with the ongoing massacre in Gaza.”
Her remarks refer to the EU-Israel Association Agreement, signed in 1995 and implemented in 2000, which governs trade, political cooperation, and cultural relations. The pact grants Israel preferential access to European markets, with bilateral trade estimated at €46 billion annually.
Díaz argued that continuing the agreement while Israel faces credible accusations of war crimes “makes the European Union complicit in human suffering.”
She also urged Spain’s acting government to lead a unified European push for sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel, in line with growing public outrage across Europe.
The call comes amid worsening conditions in Gaza, where United Nations agencies report that over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since Israel’s military operations intensified in late 2023.
Hospitals have been repeatedly bombed, and the blockade has left essential supplies critically low.
Díaz’s demand follows similar moves in several European capitals. Ireland, Belgium, and Luxembourg have already urged the EU to reassess its trade and diplomatic ties with Israel, while France and Germany have faced domestic protests over their continued arms exports.
In May 2024, Spain officially recognised the State of Palestine, joining Ireland and Norway in a coordinated move to increase international pressure on Israel.
The decision was met with strong condemnation from the Israeli government, which accused Madrid of supporting “terrorism and delegitimisation.”
“If the European Union truly believes in human rights and the rule of law,” Díaz added, “it must not continue business as usual with a government engaged in the destruction of Gaza and the oppression of an entire people.”
Her statement has sparked renewed debate within Spanish politics, with opposition conservatives accusing her of “undermining national diplomacy.”
However, polls show that a majority of Spaniards support cutting trade and diplomatic ties with Israel until a ceasefire and humanitarian access are restored.
