Spain cancels contract for missiles built by Israeli subsidiary
MADRID: Spain has canceled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
The decision will affect the license for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros ($325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press.
'The goal is clear ... a total disconnection from Israeli technology,' government spokesperson Pilar Alegria said, adding the government is studying 'the effects of the cancelation.'
Israel's Defense Ministry referred questions on the decision to Rafael, which said it wasn't aware of the cancelation. Pap Tecnos, located on the outskirts of Madrid, did not comment.
Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza.
Authorities argued at the time that the systems used by the Spanish forces were obsolete and should be replaced with up-to-date versions like those used by allied armies.
Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there were reports that some shipments slipped through.
The US late last year opened an investigation into whether NATO ally Spain denied port entry to at least three cargo vessels reportedly transporting US weapons to Israel.
Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland.
A month later, Spain became the first European country to ask the top UN court, the International Court of Justice, permission to join a case mounted by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
33 minutes ago
- Arab News
Reform UK chief slams MP's calls for burqa ban as ‘dumb'
LONDON: A row has erupted within the right-wing British party Reform UK after its newest member of Parliament, Sarah Pochin, used her maiden question during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday to call for a nationwide ban on the burqa, it was reported on Thursday. The question prompted public criticism from Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's chairman, who rebuked the move, calling it a 'dumb' question. Pochin, who recently won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer whether the UK would follow European nations such as France, Belgium, and Denmark in banning the burqa 'in the interests of public safety.' Her remarks were met with audible disapproval from some MPs, with cries of 'shame' heard in the chamber of the House of Commons. Lee Anderson, Reform UK's chief whip, expressed support for Pochin's suggestion, saying: 'Ban the burqa? Yes we should. No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public.' However, Yusuf was less than supportive, writing on X: 'Nothing to do with me. Had no idea about the question, nor that it wasn't policy. I do think it's dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn't do.' A Reform spokesperson later clarified that Yusuf had not been criticizing Pochin personally, but highlighting the inconsistency of raising a proposal not endorsed by the party. The spokesperson reiterated that a burqa ban was not official Reform UK policy but acknowledged it was an issue that 'deserves national debate.' Nigel Farage, Reform UK's leader, speaking on GB News, was more cautious and distanced himself from an outright endorsement, but suggested public discomfort around face coverings warranted discussion. He said: 'I don't think face coverings in public places make sense, and I think we do deserve a debate about that, of which I see the burqa as being a part.' Pochin, a former Conservative councillor, later suggested her question had been sourced from public suggestions submitted online. 'Thank you to everyone who sent in questions for the prime minister,' she posted. The incident has reignited concerns about internal divisions within Reform UK. It comes just months after former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe was expelled from the party following a falling out with both Yusuf and Farage. Lowe, who has expressed hardline views on immigration and has backed calls to ban the burqa, now sits as an independent. Reform has also been plagued by tension at the grassroots level. Following the recent local elections, Donna Edmunds, a Shropshire councillor, resigned from the party in protest, describing Farage as a 'terrible leader' and warning that he 'must never be prime minister.' Amid the latest fallout, a Labour spokesperson said: 'Nigel Farage could fit all of his MPs in the back of a cab, yet he can't stop them fighting among themselves.' Reform UK and Sarah Pochin were approached by the BBC, The Guardian, and The Independent for further comment.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
German foreign minister tells Israeli counterpart to allow more aid into Gaza
BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip at a press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in Berlin on Thursday, again calling for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave. Wadephul also decried the Israeli government's announcement that it would allow 22 more settlements in the West Bank. Germany would continue to deliver weapons to Israel, he added, saying the country needed to defend itself.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Jordan, Spain sign partnership deal, affirm support for Palestinian state
LONDON: Jordan's King Abdullah II and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday witnessed the signing of a declaration to establish a strategic partnership between their countries. The deal is designed to increase cooperation in the economic, commercial, social, cultural and defense fields. A memorandum of understanding for the agriculture sector and an extradition agreement were also signed, the Jordan News Agency reported. During his visit to Madrid, King Abdullah also met King Felipe VI of Spain. He praised the European nation's support for Palestinian rights, its efforts to achieve peace in the region and its commitment to ending the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized the significance of Spain's decision to recognize the Palestinian state and said Jordan was working to gain greater European support for the Arab plan aimed at rebuilding Gaza without displacing its residents. Sanchez said Jordan had a vital role in supporting Palestinians and that the war in Gaza must end. King Abdullah was joined for the talks by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the King's Office Alaa Batayneh and Jordan's Ambassador to Spain Raghad Al-Saqqa.
