Spain Bans Transit of US Military Equipment to Israel
According to the Spanish daily El País, Spain has prohibited the transit of US aircraft or ships carrying military equipment, ammunition, or arms destined for Israel, either directly or with an intermediate stop, through the Rota (Cadiz) and Morón bases.
The information, reported by El País in an article published yesterday, cites two sources "familiar with the workings of the Spanish-American Joint Committee, which is responsible for the daily use of these two bases.
Under an agreement signed in 1953, the US military has been using the Morón airbase and the Rota naval base, both located in southern Spain, for over 70 years.
A spokesperson for the US State Department had expressed concern over Spain's measures to limit access to Spanish ports and airspace for ships and planes transporting arms to Israel, Reuters reported on September 10.
The ban comes as Spain approved a "total" arms embargo on Israel, as part of a set of measures aimed at ending the "genocide in Gaza", according to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on September 23, although it still needs to be approved by Parliament. Pedro Sánchez had already announced an arms embargo on September 8 as part of a set of nine measures to "end the genocide in Gaza". He is one of the most critical voices in Europe on the Israeli government's offensive in Gaza.
