As the diplomatic crisis between Madrid and Tel Aviv deepened, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez toughened his rhetoric, openly calling Israel a “genocidal state.” This verbal escalation resulted in concrete measures along two parallel lines: increased pressure on Israel and increased support for the Palestinians. On the one hand, Spain joined the procedure initiated by South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide. On the other hand, it increased its aid to Gaza and the Palestinian Authority (PA) and recognized the State of Palestine. These developments culminated with the adoption of several measures against Israel in September 2025, bringing relations between Spain and Israel to their lowest level in decades.
The interaction between these dynamics has revived the debate on the determinants of Spanish policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Some observers believe that Spain’s position is part of its long-standing sympathy for the Palestinian cause and its historically tense relations with Israel. Others highlight situational factors, notably Sánchez’s left-wing government, highly sensitized public opinion, a mobilized civil society and growing polarization.
This briefing argues that, although it may seem surprising, Spain’s more assertive stance is consistent with its long-standing approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What is relatively new, however, is the intensity of the criticism formulated by Spain towards Israel and its desire to translate its commitments into concrete political and legal measures.
>>> This Briefing is only available in English.
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