News- Middle East: Spain has banned the transit of US military aircraft and vessels carrying arms, ammunition, or equipment through its bases at Rota (Cádiz) and Morón de la Frontera (Seville) destined for Israeli-occupied territories.

Spanish daily El País, citing sources, reported on Monday that both bases remain under Spanish sovereignty and that all military activity requires authorization from Madrid.

The sources familiar with the functioning of the US-Spain Joint Committee confirmed that “Rota and Moron are not a backdoor.”

Spanish officials have maintained that Spain is obliged to respect its bilateral defense agreement with the US, but also clarified that controversial shipments, such as arms bound for Israeli-occupied territories, fall under restrictions.

The move comes as Washington continues to supply the bulk of weaponry used by the Israeli military in its relentless genocidal war across the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that US President Donald Trump’s administration has already provided Israel with unprecedented military support in the Gaza genocide and is now reportedly planning to deliver an additional $6.4 billion in weapons to Tel Aviv.

Sources also noted that the sheer volume of weapon deliveries to Israel makes concealment practically impossible.

According to the report, earlier this year, six F-35 fighter jets were delivered to Israel; however, they avoided Spanish bases and instead made stopovers in the Azores before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar.

Earlier this month, the US State Department described the nine measures announced by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez against Israel as “deeply concerning.”

Sanchez recently declared a series of measures that he said were aimed at preventing Israel's genocide in Gaza. 

The measures include the denial of Spanish airspace to flights transporting military material to the Israeli-occupied territories.

They also included an entry ban on “all those people participating directly in the genocide, the violation of human rights and war crimes in the Gaza Strip.”

Additional measures include an embargo on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The US, a key supporter of the Israeli regime, says such restrictions “potentially limit American military operations.”

Despite the US complaints, Spanish officials underline that Madrid has the right to deny authorizations for shipments considered politically sensitive.

Under the 1988 defense cooperation agreement, US forces can operate from Spanish bases under specific conditions.

However, a 2011 operational procedure tightened rules, obliging disclosure of flight origins, destinations, and detailed descriptions of mission objectives and cargo.

The restrictions apply equally to naval operations, where port calls must be requested at least five days in advance.

Several members of the Spanish government have publicly supported the pro-Palestinian movement in the European country.

Sanchez has condemned Europe’s double standards regarding Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war, calling the international response to the genocide “a failure.”

He described the reaction to Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza as “one of the darkest episodes of international relations in the 21st century.”

Spain’s stance marks a broader foreign policy shift in recent years, deepening after Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza began on October 7, 2023.

Last week, the Spanish government took a decisive step against Israel, approving a complete arms embargo and further restrictions on trade linked to illegal settlements.

Since November 2023, Spain has suspended arms export licenses to Israel, citing concerns that such sales could contribute to violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

Spain has also pressed the European Union (EU) to reconsider the EU-Israel Association Agreement, arguing that Israel’s actions in Gaza breach the accord’s human rights clause. 

Source: Press TV