Spain Cancels Ammunition Deal with Israeli Firm

The Spanish government has unilaterally canceled a military ammunition procurement contract with an Israeli company, following political pressure from its left-wing coalition partner, Sumar.

The decision, reported by Reuters, reflects growing tension within the Spanish coalition government over arms policies linked to Israel.

The canceled deal involved a contract valued at €6.6 million (approximately $7.53 million) for the purchase of over 15 million nine-millimeter bullets from Guardian Israel Ltd.

Initially announced by the Ministry of the Interior in October, the contract was recently scrapped in response to internal coalition opposition.

Spain has been vocal in its criticism of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories. In October 2023, the Spanish government pledged to halt arms exports to Israel due to the ongoing war in Gaza. That commitment was expanded to include the suspension of arms purchases from Israeli companies.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly urged the international community to stop selling weapons to Israel. In October, he specifically condemned Israeli actions following attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

However, Sánchez has also faced backlash from his junior coalition partner, Sumar, over his plans to increase defense spending. Sumar, a coalition of far-left parties led by Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, controls five ministries in the current government.

The group denounced the ammunition purchase as a direct violation of the agreement it struck with Sánchez’s Socialist party when forming the coalition government.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Sumar labeled the contract a “flagrant breach” of coalition terms and called for its immediate cancellation.

Following the cancellation, the Ministry of the Interior disclosed that it had received a formal notice from the public prosecutor indicating that terminating the contract may obligate the government to pay the full value of the agreement without receiving any ammunition in return