Spain Cancels Israeli Ammunition Deal Over Internal Coalition Dispute
Spain’s government has canceled a €6.6 million defense contract for Israeli-made ammunition following growing political pressure within its ruling coalition over the country’s arms policy toward Israel during the Gaza war.
The now-canceled contract involved over 15 million 9mm bullets and was awarded to Guardian Homeland Security S.A., a Spanish intermediary, without a public tender. The ammunition was to be supplied by an Israeli manufacturer reportedly linked to Israel Military Industries or Elbit Systems.
Although Spain’s Interior Ministry initially defended the deal, citing legal and logistical hurdles to cancellation, backlash intensified after details of the agreement became public. Left-wing parties in the coalition, including Sumar and Izquierda Unida, demanded that the government revoke the import license.
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President Pedro Sánchez ultimately ordered the cancellation, justifying the decision as being in the public interest. The move follows a policy enacted in October 2023, when Spain froze arms sales to Israel, citing concerns over its military campaign in Gaza. The government now faces legal review to determine if financial penalties will apply.
“The political cost of maintaining the agreement escalated sharply,” a source familiar with the situation said, particularly after warnings from the State Attorney’s Office that Spain might still be required to pay the full contract amount despite receiving no goods.
Opposition parties criticized the decision, warning that canceling a signed contract without clear legal grounds could damage Spain’s reputation in future international defense procurements. Calls are also growing for greater transparency, after revelations that other Israeli defense contracts remain active.
The Spanish government has promised to review all existing defense contracts involving Israeli companies to ensure alignment with Spain’s foreign policy and human rights standards.
