Spanish FM Calls For EU Arms Embargo On Israel

MADRID, June 18 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has called on the European Union (EU) to impose an arms embargo on Israel as a means to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday, Albares emphasised that the EU, as Israel's largest trading partner in the world, holds significant influence.

The bloc "must impose an arms embargo so that our European partners don't sell weapons to Israel while this war continues," he said.

Albares has been a vocal critic of the conflict in Gaza and a staunch advocate for a two-state solution. In May, he called Gaza "an open wound for humanity" at an international meeting of foreign representatives from European and Muslim countries, Brazil, and international organisations.

Commenting on the newly erupted Israel-Iran conflicts, Albares called for de-escalation from both sides.

"Right now, we need to de-escalate this exchange of missiles and bombs between Israel and Iran, and ensure that everything related to Iran's nuclear programme is properly resolved and that Iran moves away from having nuclear weapons through diplomatic negotiations," he said.

According to Gaza-based health authorities, at least 5,139 Palestinians had been killed and 16,882 others injured since Israel renewed its intensive strikes on March 18. This brings the total death toll since October 2023 to 55,432, with 128,923 people injured.

Following Israel's surprise strike on Iran on June 13, the subsequent clashes have killed at least 244 people in Iran and 24 in Israel, according to official figures.

--BERNAMA-XINHUA