Latest news with #Albares
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Amid calls for arms embargo, who supplies Israel's weapons?
Amid calls for arms embargo, who supplies Israel's weapons? (Photo: AP) Spain has asked European countries to suspend arms shipments to Israel, as international condemnation grows over its conduct in Gaza. At a meeting of the "Madrid Group" hosted by the Spanish government, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for an immediate suspension of Europe's cooperation deal with Israel and an embargo on arms shipments. "We must all agree on a joint arms embargo," said Albares prior to the conference. "The last thing the Middle East needs right now is weapons." Among those at the meeting were representatives from Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco and Brazil, along with several intergovernmental organizations. However, only a fraction of the nations represented at the Madrid Group meeting actually supply Israel with armaments. Israel is also one of the world's top exporters of armaments, so it has a powerful internal supply of weaponry as well. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March reported that Israel is the 15th biggest importer of arms globally, despite it being actively involved in conflict, accounting for less than 2% of global imports. Its imports have also dropped by around 2.3% in the last five years, compared to the preceding period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like '5월 한정, 직장인 대상 대출 가능 여부 무료 조회 급증' 신청 몰려 조기 마감 우려 직장인 대출 센터 더 읽기 Undo Crucially, three nations account for almost all of Israel's weapons supply: the United States, Germany and Italy. US is Israel's biggest arms supplier By far, the US is the biggest arms supplier to Israel, both since the October 7, 2023 attacks and also historically. Though its proportional supply has reduced over the last decade, it still accounted for about two-thirds of Israel's imports from 2020 to 2024, according to SIPRI. This includes aircraft, armored vehicles and guided bombs. Israel is also the top recipient of US aid historically, according to the US-based, nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). As well as a substantial economic contribution between 1946 and 2024, Israel has received $228 billion (€200 billion) in military support from the US. Today, most US foreign aid to Israel is military spending. This includes an existing agreement to provide $3.8 billion in support until 2028. Most aid provided by the US must be spent on the purchase of American military equipment and services, according to the CFR. It's unlikely that the US will change its support for Israel. Attempts led by independent senator Bernie Sanders to withhold billions in military sales to Israel were rejected by the US Senate in both April 2025 and November 2024. Germany will continue to provide Israel weapons Germany is a long-time diplomatic and military supporter of Israel. From 2020 to 2024, Germany accounted for about a third of Israel's incoming arms supply, mostly naval frigates and torpedoes. SIPRI researcher Zain Hussain told DW via email that "Israel has relied on Germany for […] naval capabilities," and that Israel has an incoming submarine order from Germany. Germany's arms supply to Israel has also included armored vehicles, trucks, anti-tank weapons and ammunition. And that is unlikely to change, despite Spain's calls for an embargo. "As a country that understands Israel's security and existence as a core principle, Germany is always obliged to assist Israel," said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday. Those comments came as German Chancellor Frederich Merz told public broadcaster WDR he "no longer understands" Israel's objective in Gaza and that its actions could "no longer be justified by a fight against Hamas." Despite Merz's remark, any future restriction on Germany's arms supply would be a significant development. Germany provided more than €131 million ($137 million) in arms exports in 2024, according to government statistics. The figure in 2023 was €326 million. Italy accounts for 1% of Israel's arms Italy contributes around 1% of Israel's weapons. But by Italian law, it is prohibited from doing so given the conflict. The Italian government has been critical of Israel's actions, but reports last year found it continued to supply Israel following the commencement of hostilities in October 2023. That reportedly included €2.1 million ($2.4 million) in the last quarter of 2023, during which Israel's offensive was underway. That was despite assurances from the Italian government that shipments had ceased. Analysis performed on government accounts by Italian news outlet Altreconomia found Italy supplied €5.2 million in arms to Israel last year. Some EU nations have reduced their exports Israel has no shortage of armaments, either produced domestically or through its major backers. Despite pressure from European nations to adopt an arms embargo, Hussain said the most effective block would require Israel's primary armorers to join up. "The USA and Germany are the most important suppliers of major arms to Israel. For there to be maximum pressure on Israel's major arms capabilities, these states would have to be involved in an arms embargo," Hussain said. Some European nations have either stopped the supply of weaponry, or have suspended export licenses. These include France, Spain and the UK, though their contributions are less than 0.1% of Israel's total intake. However, a study of UK trade data, cited by The Guardian in May, found that the country sent Israel thousands of military items despite the export ban. A major change in US foreign policy would be required for Germany to heed Spain's call, said Catherine Gegout, an international relations researcher at the University of Nottingham in the UK. "I think there would be much more pressure on Germany if the US changed as well," Gegout told DW. "But I'm not sure the rest of the EU states [opposing arms] will be enough to change that special relationship with Israel." Despite Germany's long-standing commitment to Israel, Gegout said its ongoing weapons supply is becoming a problem for the European Union. "I think it's a gigantic problem for the EU that Germany is sending so many weapons," Gegout said. She said Spain's attempt to implement an arms embargo serves both a direct and symbolic purpose for countries that may oppose Israel's activities in Gaza.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wadephul finds little enthusiasm for defence hike in Spain, Portugal
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited Spain and Portugal on Monday, two NATO members lagging behind drastically when it comes to defence spending, as Germany seeks to shore up support for a massive increase. Wadephul met with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares in Madrid, before heading to Lisbon for consultations with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. Since the new German government took office on May 6, Wadephul and Chancellor Friedrich Merz have backed a proposal to increase defence-related spending by NATO members to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), with an additional 1.5% for military infrastructure. However, Wadephul encountered little enthusiasm for a hike in defence spending in Madrid and Lisbon. When asked by journalists after the meeting with Wadephul whether Spain was prepared to increase its defence budget to 5% of GDP in the future, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares responded that Spain is making greater efforts in the defence sector than ever before. However, Albares described the existing NATO target of 2% of GDP as "realistic." Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel meanwhile said his country would "naturally" support a decision to increase the military budget, but admitted that the target of 2% had "not yet been fully" achieved. US President Donald Trump, signalling he is tired of European countries piggy-backing on Washington's massive defence budget, is pushing for defence spending to be raised to 5% of GDP. Spain is currently among the alliance's members spending least on defence, with military expenditure amounting to some 1.3% of GDP - well below the current target of at least 2%. While Portugal recently raised defence spending, expenditure in Europe's westernmost nation only stood at 1.6% of GDP in 2024. A new NATO spending target is set to be adopted at the alliance's summit in the Dutch city of The Hague in June. Wadephul opposes Israel arms embargo during visit The foreign ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East, with Wadephul rejecting a Spanish proposal for a weapons embargo on Israel due to its actions in Gaza. "Nobody is saying that the current situation is acceptable and can be tolerated any longer. Not even Germany," said Wadephul after his meeting with Albares. However, Wadephul emphasized that Israel's security is a "reason of state" for Germany - a term referring to Germany's historical responsibility following the Holocaust. "Of course, this also includes the willingness to supply weapons in the future," he said, while admitting that the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Gaza strip "poses a major political and moral dilemma" for Germany. Spain is in favour of an international arms embargo in the Middle East. Albares said that his country's initiative was aimed at "getting more and more countries to join in so that peace returns to the Middle East." More weapons are "the last thing the region needs at the moment," he argued, warning that Gaza should "not be turned into a huge cemetery." Nevertheless, he insisted that "nothing that Spain is proposing is directed against the State of Israel." Wadephul urgently appealed to the Israeli government and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to end the conflict through negotiations. The German foreign minister demanded: "There must be no expulsion from the Gaza Strip. There must also be no policy of starvation." Instead, the people in the Gaza Strip must be adequately supplied with aid and humanitarian goods, Wadephul said. He said the situation has "improved somewhat, although not yet sufficiently" after Israel lifted an aid blockade. "We remain unambiguous in our criticism and also unambiguous in our calls to Israel," he maintained. Both foreign ministers called for a two-state solution, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas have continued to reject.
DW
4 days ago
- Business
- DW
Amid calls for arms embargo, who supplies Israel's weapons? – DW – 05/26/2025
Spain calls for arms embargo on Israel as Gaza violence escalates — but real pressure would require action from three major weapons exporters. Spain has asked European countries to suspend arms shipments to Israel as international condemnation grows over its conduct in Gaza. At a meeting of the "Madrid Group" hosted by the Spanish government, the host country's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for an immediate suspension of Europe's cooperation deal with Israel. He also called for an embargo on arms shipments. "We must all agree on a joint arms embargo," said Albares prior to the conference. "The last thing the Middle East needs right now is weapons." Among those at the meeting were representatives from Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco and Brazil and several intergovernmental organizations. However, only a fraction of the nations represented at the Madrid Group meeting actually supply Israel with armaments. Israel is also one of the world's top exporters of armaments, so it has a powerful internal supply of weaponry as well. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March reported that Israel is the 15th biggest importer of arms globally, despite it being actively involved in conflict, accounting for less than two percent of global imports. Its imports have also dropped by around 2.3% in the last five years, compared to the preceding period. Crucially, three nations account for almost all of Israel's weapons supply: the United States, Germany and Italy. United States is Israel's biggest arms supplier By far, the US is the biggest arms supplier to Israel, both since the October 7 attacks and also historically. Though its proportional supply has reduced over the last decade, it still accounted for about two-thirds of Israel's imports from 2020-2024, according to SIPRI. This includes aircraft, armored vehicles and guided bombs. Israel is also the top recipient of US aid historically, according to the US-based, nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). As well as a substantial economic contribution between 1946 and 2024, Israel has received $228 billion in military support from the US. Today, most US foreign aid to Israel is military spending. This includes an existing agreement to provide $3.8 billion in support until 2028. Most aid provided by the US must be spent on the purchase of American military equipment and services, according to the CFR. It's unlikely that the US will change its support for Israel. Attempts led by independent senator Bernie Sanders to withhold billions in military sales to Israel were rejected by the US Senate in both April 2025 and November 2024. Germany will continue to provide Israel weapons Germany is a long-time diplomatic and military supporter of Israel. From 2020-2024, Germany accounted for about a third of Israel's incoming arms supply, mostly naval frigates and torpedoes. SIPRI researcher Zain Hussain told DW via email that "Israel has relied on Germany for […] naval capabilities" and that Israel has an incoming submarine order from Germany. Germany's arms supply to Israel has also included armored vehicles, trucks, anti-tank weapons and ammunition. And that is unlikely to change, despite Spain's calls for an embargo. "As a country that understands Israel's security and existence as a core principle, Germany is always obliged to assist Israel," said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Those comments came as German chancellor Frederich Merz told public broadcaster WDR he "no longer understands' Israel's objective in Gaza and that its actions could "no longer be justified by a fight against Hamas." Despite his remark, any future restriction on Germay's arms supply would be a significant development. Germany provided more than €131 million ($137 million) in arms exports in 2024, according to government statistics. The figure in 2023 was €326 million. Italy accounts for 1% of Israel's arms Italy contributes around one percent of Israel's arms. But by Italian law, it is prohibited from doing so given the conflict. The Italian government has been critical of Israel's actions, however reports last year found it continued to supply Israel following the commencement of hostilities in October 2023. That reportedly included €2.1 million ($2.4 million US) in the last quarter of 2023, during which Israel's offensive was under way. That was despite assurances from the Italian government that shipments had ceased. Analysis performed on government accounts by Italian news outlet Altreconomia found Italy supplied €5.2 million in arms to Israel last year. Israeli protesters demand end to Gaza war To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Some EU nations have reduced their exports Israel has no shortage of armaments either produced domestically or through its major backers. Despite pressure from European nations to adopt an arms embargo, Hussain said the most effective block would requires Israel's primary armorers to join. "The USA and Germany are the most important suppliers of major arms to Israel. For there to be maximum pressure on Israel's major arms capabilities, these states would have to be involved in an arms embargo," Hussain said. Some European nations have either stopped the supply of weaponry, or have suspended export licenses. These include France, Spain and the UK, though their contributions are less than 0.1% of Israel's total intake. However, a study of UK trade data, cited by The Guardian in May, found that the country sent Israel thousands of military items despite export ban. However for Germany to heed Spain's call, a major change in US foreign policy would be required, said Catherine Gegout, an international relations researcher at the University of Nottingham, UK. "I think there would be much more pressure on Germany if the US changed as well," Gegout told DW. "But I'm not sure the rest of the EU states [opposing arms] will be enough to change that special relationship with Israel." Despite Germany's long-standing commitment to Israel, Gegout said its ongoing weapons supply is becoming a problem for the European Union. "I think it's a gigantic problem for the EU that Germany is sending so many weapons," Gegout said. She said Spain's attempt to implement an arms embargo serves both a direct and symbolic purpose for countries that may oppose Israel's activities in Gaza. Edited by: Jess Smee
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Gaza: Madrid Gathers European, Arab Countries to Halt Israel's Genocide
Rabat — A high-level meeting on Sunday brought together European and Arab countries' representatives to explore ways to put pressure on Israel to stop its Genocide on Gaza. The meeting of the 'Madrid Group' comes as Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) intensify their genocidal bombardment of innocent civilians in the Palestinian enclave. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manual Albares said that his country urges an arms embargo against Israel to end its assaults in Gaza. The aim of the gathering that brought together 20 countries and international organizations in the European country is to pressure Israel to stop its genocidal war, 'which no longer has any goal,' Albares said. Israel is losing on the diplomatic ground as countries in the European Union that it had long considered close allies have been joining the international bloc condemning IOF assaults and its humanitarian and food aid blockade on Gaza. Albares further spoke of the possibility of imposing targeted sanctions on parties 'who obstruct the two-state solution.' Speaking to reporters at Sunday's meeting, the Spanish FM said the gathering aimed to halt what he described as Israel's 'inhumane' and 'senseless' genocide on Gaza. 'The last thing the Middle East needs right now is weapons,' he noted, adding that 'silence in these moments is complicity in this massacre…' Ministers and senior representatives from organizations and countries in Europe — including France, the UK, Germany, and Italy — and the Arab world took part in the meeting, in addition to Brazil and Turkey. France and Saudi Arabia are set to preside over a UN conference on June 18 to address Palestinian statehood. According to reports, French President Emmanuel Macron plans to urge participants to 'work toward implementing the two-state solution.' Mounting calls against Israel's genocide The last weeks have seen mounting calls on the international community to take action against Israel to stop. Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vow to take 'full control of all of Gaza,' many have said that now is the time for world governments to force the Israeli government to order the end of its troops' genocide assaults on the Palestinian enclave. Last Monday, the UK, France, and Canada joined forces in a strong shift of their policy towards Israel. They warned of targeted sanctions if Israel does not halt its genocidal actions and allow for the immediate entry of food and humanitarian aid to Gaza. In a joint statement, the three countries lamented Israel's intensified expansion plan for Gazans, saying it is 'illegal and undermine[s] the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.' Also lamenting the inhumane situation in the war-torn enclave, the UK slammed Israel for denying 'essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population.' Such behavior is 'unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law,' the UK government fumed in the statement. Israel's expansion of its genocidal war will lead to 'permanent forced displacement,' the three countries said in their joint statement, condemning the move as a blatant 'breach of international humanitarian law.' Tags: Gaza and Israelgaza genocideGenocide GazaSpain
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Spain hosts European, Arab nations to pressure Israel
Jose Manuel Albares Bueno (AP) Spain has called for an arms embargo against the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza, Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said Sunday. He also suggested targeted sanctions could be imposed on individuals "who obstruct the two-state solution." "We must all agree on a joint arms embargo," Albares told reporters at the start of the ministerial meeting of the Madrid Group in the Spanish capital, which he said aimed to halt Israel's "inhumane" and "senseless" war in the Palestinian enclave. "The last thing the Middle East needs right now is weapons," he added. What else did Spain's top diplomat say? Albares also said Spain would propose the immediate suspension of a trade partnership between the European Union and Israel, which Brussels is currently reviewing. Spain, one of the EU's toughest critics of Israel, angered Benjamin Netanyahu last year when it officially recognized Palestine as a state. Ireland, Slovenia and Norway also recognized Palestine in 2024. "Nothing that is being discussed here is directed against the State of Israel," Albares insisted, but he added that the "Palestinian people have exactly the same right to peace and security as the Israeli people." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Start Here - 2025 Top Trend Local network access control Expertinspector Learn More Undo International pressure on Israel mounts The meeting in Madrid comes as several of Israel's Western allies have joined international calls for it to relent in its military offensive against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, the de facto rulers of Gaza, whose attack on southern Israel in October 2023 triggered the ongoing war. That terror attack killed 1,218 people, mainly civilians, while the Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage. Israel's military says 57 hostages are still in Gaza, including 34 who Israel says have died. Israel's response has killed almost 54,000 people in the Gaza Strip, the majority civilians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry figures. Over 122,000 people have been injured and most of the enclave's buildings and infrastructure have been devastated. After a ceasefire collapse in early March, Israel imposed a blockade on the besieged enclave, blocking entries of food, water, medicine and fuel supplies, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation and provoking fears of a looming famine. Israel said last week that it would allow a "basic amount" of food supplies into Gaza, but aid organizations and the UN have said that the aid is nowhere near enough to alleviate the humanitarian situation. "Silence in these moments is complicity in this massacre... that is why we are meeting," Albares said. Ministers and senior representatives from countries and organizations in Europe, including France, the UK, Germany and Italy, and the Arab world were taking part in the meeting. Brazil and Turkey were also involved. France and Saudi Arabia will preside over a UN conference next month on the conflict.
