MADRID – Spain is urging EU countries to vote on measures blocking trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank in a move to bypass national vetoes.
José Manuel Albares, the Spanish foreign minister, called on European governments to “position themselves” and demonstrate whether their foreign policy “complies with international law”.
“It is time to move to a vote and see if there is a qualified majority,” Albares said, regarding a potential ban on products originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Spain has tabled a proposal for trade measures that can be agreed by a vote rather than the unanimity needed for foreign policy sanctions, Albares said, adding “it is up to the rest of the states to position themselves, as well as the High Representative Kaja Kallas”.
“Let’s go to a vote; let’s verify who is in favour of international law and who is not”, he said, speaking ahead of a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.
“Let’s see if there is a qualified majority or not. I think there is.”
Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister has emerged as one of the EU’s most vocal critics of Israel, repeatedly calling on Brussels to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement over what Madrid describes as Israeli violations of international law in Gaza and Lebanon.
Last year, Spain implemented a sweeping embargo against Israel, imposing a total arms ban alongside exports originating from settlements in the Palestinian territories.
Albares urged the EU to follow suit. “It is up to the rest of the states if they want to follow Spain’s example and have a foreign policy that is coherent and respectful of international law,” he said.
As Brussels hardens its stance against Israel, several European countries have also floated the idea of broader restrictions against radical Israeli ministers including Itamar Ben Gvir, yet the EU’s diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas said consensus is far from being reached.
Already several capitals including Prague have opposed individual sanctions against Israeli ministers.
“We will discuss this,” she said. “At the moment, my consultations with the member states is that we don’t have the necessary unanimity that we need for this decision.”
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