Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez urges EU to cut ties with Israel, cites ‘violation of international law’

HUELVA (Spain): Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on the European Union to sever its Association Agreement with Israel, saying the bloc cannot maintain ties with a government that violates its core principles.

In a post on X, Sanchez said, “The time has come for the EU to break its Association Agreement with Israel. We have nothing against the people of Israel; quite the contrary. But a Government that violates international law and, therefore, the principles and values of the EU cannot be our partner. No to war”.

Ha llegado la hora de que la UE rompa su Acuerdo de Asociación con Israel.

No tenemos nada contra el pueblo de Israel, al contrario. Pero un Gobierno que viola el derecho internacional y, por tanto, los principios y valores de la UE no puede ser nuestro socio.

NO A LA GUERRA. pic.twitter.com/jsGOiGQDB8

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 19, 2026

Speaking at a Socialist Workers’ Party rally in Gibraleon under the slogan “Defend Public Services,” he said Spain would formally take the proposal to European institutions on Tuesday (local time), Euronews reported.

“This Tuesday, the Government of Spain will take to Europe the proposal that the EU sever its association with Israel,” Sanchez told supporters. He added that Spain remains “a friend to Israel” but disagrees with the actions of its government.

According to Euronews, the announcement marks a sharp escalation in Spain’s stance. Days earlier, Sanchez had urged the EU to suspend the agreement following what he described as the “heaviest Israeli attack” on Lebanon since the start of the conflict. On Sunday, that appeal turned into a firm commitment with a timeline for action.

Spain’s position has been building over recent months, with Madrid and Ireland earlier calling for a review of the EU-Israel agreement, arguing that respect for human rights and democratic principles is an “essential element” of the relationship.

At the European Pulse Forum 2026 in Barcelona, Sanchez said Israel was “trampling on” several provisions of the agreement and added that Spain was “ready to take that step together with many other European countries”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by accusing Spain of waging a “diplomatic war,” prompting Sanchez to push the issue further at the EU level.

The proposal has drawn mixed reactions within the bloc. Countries such as Belgium, Slovenia, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden have backed similar initiatives in the past. Others, including Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Lithuania, have opposed such moves.

The European Union remains Israel’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding EUR 45 billion annually. Any suspension or termination of the agreement could therefore have major economic and political consequences.

Separately, Netanyahu said Israel, along with the United States, is engaged in a “battle of civilisation against barbarism,” referring to Iran, according to Al Jazeera.

Speaking at a press conference during the visit of Argentine President Javier Milei, Netanyahu said Israel has been “engaged with the United States in a battle against the great tyranny of Iran, which terrorises the world, which seeks our destruction and seeks to bring down the United States, seeks to bring down Western civilisation as we know it.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli military claimed it had killed an “armed” individual who crossed the so-called “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon, an area designated by Israel during its ongoing operations. The military did not provide evidence to support the claim, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli army has carried out widespread destruction of infrastructure in southern Lebanon, which has been described as an attempt to isolate the region from the rest of the country.

Following a ceasefire that came into effect on Friday, Lebanese authorities have begun restoring critical infrastructure as hundreds of thousands of displaced residents return to their homes, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)