Spain’s Sánchez calls on Europe to lead morally, suspend ties with Israel, and fill the global leadership void.
Key Developments
- Sánchez calls for Europe to “rearm morally” alongside military buildup.
- Urges suspension of EU-Israel agreement over violations of international law.
- Positions Spain as a model amid criticism of US global retreat.
‘Rearm Morally’: Europe’s Role Redefined
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called on European leaders to adopt a broader global role, urging the continent to move beyond military preparedness and assume moral leadership.
Speaking at the European Pulse Forum on Friday, Sánchez said Europe must “not only rearm itself to address its security and defense problems, but to also rearm itself morally.”
According to Politico, he framed this as essential for ensuring “stable and peaceful development throughout the world” at a time of increasing global instability.
Sánchez directly linked Europe’s responsibility to what he described as a shift in US policy.
He argued that “at a moment when the U.S. has given up on international cooperation, Europe has an obligation to step up to fill that gap.”
The statement comes amid ongoing tensions between European leaders and US President Donald Trump, particularly over the war in Iran and broader Middle East policy.
Sánchez has been among the most vocal European critics of US and Israeli actions, including military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Israel Expels Spain from CMCC after Madrid Calls Out Israeli Violations
Call to Suspend EU-Israel Agreement
In one of his strongest positions, Sánchez called for concrete measures against Israel.
He said it was “imperative for Brussels to suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel” in response to what he described as “flagrant” disrespect for international law.
The proposal signals a push within parts of the EU to move beyond rhetorical criticism toward institutional action.
Sánchez used the speech to position Spain as an example for the rest of Europe.
He argued that the Spanish model demonstrates it is possible “to grow and create stable employment, to distribute wealth and also protect the environment without sacrificing one for the benefit of the other.”
Pointing to Spain’s energy policy, he noted that nearly 60 percent of the country’s electricity is generated from renewables, helping it avoid the surge in energy prices linked to the war in the Middle East.
Israel Expels Spain
Israel announced on Friday that it had expelled Spain from the United States’ Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat, a body established to oversee humanitarian and logistical operations related to Gaza.
According to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the move was carried out in coordination with the United States, and Spain has been formally notified of the decision.
The CMCC was set up to monitor the ceasefire but is heavily slanted to protecting Israeli interests in the ceasefire agreement. It was joined by at least 14 countries and dozens of international organizations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision followed what he described as Spain’s repeated opposition to Israel.
The expulsion comes amid a sharp escalation in Spain’s criticism of Israeli military operations across the region.
Spain strongly condemned the recent wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, accusing the Israeli military of violating international law and breaching the temporary ceasefire reached earlier this week between the United States and Iran.
“We’re facing the greatest assault on the civilization built upon the humanist ideals of reason, peace, understanding and universal law over the abuse of power, brute force and arbitrariness,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told Spanish lawmakers on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.
This is the Line: Stand With the Palestine Chronicle — Or Surrender the Truth
The criticism came after Israel carried out its largest coordinated attack against Lebanon, striking more than 100 sites across Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.
According to the Associated Press, at least 200 people were killed and around 1,150 others wounded in the 10-minute wave of airstrikes, some of which hit central Beirut during daytime hours.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also escalated his response, calling on the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel. In a post on X, he said that Benjamin Netanyahu’s “contempt for life and international law is intolerable.”
“The international community must condemn this new violation of international law,” Sánchez added. “And there must be no impunity for these criminal acts.”
Sánchez has been among the most outspoken critics of the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, repeatedly warning since late February that continued escalation would carry severe humanitarian and economic consequences.
(PC, Politico, Israeli media)
