Organizations behind Spain’s “End Arms Trade with Israel” campaign demonstrated outside the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on Tuesday, calling on lawmakers to immediately unblock legislation that would ban arms trade with Israel.
The protest, held under the slogan “Time is Running Out, Arms Embargo Now,” was organized by the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP) and backed by junior coalition partner Sumar, the Podemos party, and Basque and Catalan opposition parties represented in parliament.
Campaign representatives criticized lawmakers for failing to advance the bill, saying it has yet to reach the parliamentary floor despite being submitted nearly two years ago.
During the demonstration, organizers presented hourglasses to parliamentary groups to symbolize the urgency of approving the legislation.
The proposed reform of Spain’s arms trade law was submitted to Congress in July 2024 by the Plurinational Sumar, ERC and Mixed parliamentary groups.
It would amend Law 53/2007 by introducing a legal framework allowing Spain to impose arms embargoes on states “under investigation for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.”
“The violence against the Palestinian people and the escalation of conflicts globally have only worsened,” RESCOP representatives said, adding that “it is more urgent than ever” for the legislation to be approved.
