10.10.2025 01:58
U.S. President Donald Trump harshly criticized NATO member Israel. In a statement made at the White House, Trump said, "Spain, which does not increase its defense budget, should perhaps be expelled from NATO." Meanwhile, Spain had decided the day before to impose an arms embargo on Israel.
US President Donald Trump made statements at a press conference held at the White House. Referring to the ceasefire achieved in Gaza, Trump targeted NATO member Spain with harsh words.
TRUMP: SPAIN SHOULD MAYBE BE EXPELLED FROM NATO
Trump criticized Spain for not increasing its defense budget. Trump stated, "Spain, which does not increase its defense budget, should maybe be expelled from NATO."
SPAIN TO IMPOSE ARMS EMBARGO ON ISRAEL
The minority left coalition government in Spain had passed a decree to impose an arms embargo on Israel due to the genocide committed in Gaza, which was accepted in a vote held in the Parliament.
The arms embargo, which was the most debated among the 9 sanctions decisions taken by the government against Israel in the Cabinet meeting on September 9, was approved by the Parliament with 178 votes against 169, despite the legal process being cited as a reason for the delay until September 23.
SPAIN HAD DECIDED ON SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL
Although the Spanish government has long claimed that it has not engaged in arms trade with Israel since the genocide in Gaza that has been ongoing for 2 years, some civil society organizations have argued otherwise with historical evidence and contracts, pressuring the government. Due to both internal pressures and the diplomatic crisis with Israel, the government had decided on a 9-point sanction against Israel on September 9.
CONTRACT WITH ISRAELI COMPANY TERMINATED
The Spanish government had begun to implement the sanctions decisions against Israel, which included urgent measures against the genocide in Gaza and support for the Palestinian people, taken in the Cabinet meeting on September 23. Spanish state television RTVE announced that the Interior Ministry had started the process of terminating contracts for the purchase of Israeli ammunition for the gendarmerie "due to the impossibility of fulfilling" these contracts.
According to reports based on sources and documents from the Interior Ministry, it was stated that documents for the termination of the purchase of 9x19 millimeter ammunition worth 6.6 million euros from the Israeli company IMI Systems LTD, represented by Guardian Homeland Security S.A. in Spain, had been signed. It was noted that this was the last contract that the Interior Ministry had with Israeli companies that was in effect and had been terminated.
SPAIN HAD RECOGNIZED PALESTINE AS A STATE
Since Israel has not been represented at the ambassadorial level in this country since Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024.