Spanish government reneges on deal to purchase Israeli ammunition after internal pressure

The Spanish government has unilaterally cancelled a contract to purchase ammunition rounds for its police force from an Israeli firm, a government source says, ceding to pressure from its hard-left junior coalition partner Sumar.

Spain, a long-time critic of Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank, pledged in October 2023 to stop selling weapons to Israel over its war with Hamas in Gaza and last year widened that commitment to include weapons purchases from Israel.

However, on April 17, as Spaniards geared up for the Easter holiday weekend, the government filed paperwork confirming the deal on the government tenders website.

The purchase, worth 6.6 million euros (NIS 27.3 million), includes the acquisition of more than 15 million 9-mm rounds from Israel’s IMI Systems, owned by Elbit Systems and represented in Spain by Guardian LTD Israel.

The decision drew a sharp rebuke on Wednesday from coalition partner Sumar, with one of the groups within Sumar, Izquierda Unida, threatening to withdraw from the minority coalition government.

The Interior Ministry responded that it had been advised by the state attorney that breaking the contract would mean paying the full amount without receiving the shipment.

A government source says today, however, that it has decided to stick to its October 2023 commitment not to provide Israeli companies with arms or revenue flows “and nor will it do so in future.”

The source says the Israeli company will be denied permission to import the defense material by the Spanish authorities on “public interest” grounds, the Interior Ministry will rescind the contract, and government lawyers will respond to any subsequent legal claims.