Spain’s Socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has been one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in 2023. While his outspoken stance has angered Tel Aviv and drawn accusations of cynicism from his critics, it has boosted Sánchez’s presence on the international stage as he struggles with crises at home.
In mid-December, the Spanish leader received the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in the prime minister’s residence in Madrid.
“Dear president, Spain is committed to the Palestinian cause and part of that commitment lies in our ability to mobilise the rest of the international community,” Sánchez said, as he warned of “a papier-mâché ceasefire”.
It was a typically forthright expression of support by Sánchez, who has insisted his government is “on the right side of history” on this issue. He warned Israel against committing human rights abuses in Gaza as early as November 2023 and in May of last year Spain declared its acknowledgment of a Palestinian state, in a joint initiative alongside Ireland and Norway.
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Israel described that move as “a parade of stupidity” and its foreign ministry reprimanded the ambassadors of all three countries. However, the UK, France and Canada are among countries to have since also recognised Palestinian statehood.
Sánchez’s stance became more pronounced as the Gaza crisis continued. In September of this year, having denounced Israel’s actions as genocide, he spoke out in support of demonstrators who had been disrupting the Vuelta a España cycling race in protest at the participation of an Israeli team. The final stage of the event, in Madrid, was abandoned amid chaotic scenes.
Sánchez has called for Israel to be treated as an international pariah and his government backed the decision by public broadcaster RTVE to boycott Eurovision in protest at the country’s involvement in the competition. Spain has also introduced a weapons embargo against Israel – although some on the left have pointed to loopholes in that measure.
Polls suggest that a strident pro-Palestinian stance is in line with Spanish public opinion. In July, the Elcano Royal Institute think-tank found that 82 per cent of Spaniards believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
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The Middle East is an issue that has come to the fore just as Sánchez has been struggling on several fronts domestically.
Paco Camas, head of public opinion in Spain for polling firm Ipsos, says that the political left in Spain has a long pro-Palestinian tradition and focusing on this issue “helps [Sánchez] keep his electorate onside”.
“It allows him to get away from national politics, to find other debates that are removed from the issues that are unfavourable for him right now,” he adds.
Those issues include revelations about a kickback scheme allegedly overseen by, among others, Socialist Party number three and trusted Sánchez confidant Santos Cerdán, throwing the government into disarray in the summer. Since then further scandals, including accusations of sexual assault and harassment against Socialist politicians, have further hurt the administration. In addition, Sánchez’s brother, David, is due to go on trial for influence trafficking and the prime minister’s wife, Begoña Gómez, has been the subject of an investigation into her business affairs.
The opposition People’s Party (PP), which has warned that Sánchez is alienating Israel, accuses him of using the issue as “a smokescreen”. PP spokesman Miguel Tellado pointed to the timing of the government’s announcement that it was deploying a warship to accompany an international humanitarian flotilla heading to Gaza in October as an example.
“Sánchez announced protection for the flotilla with a naval vessel on the same day that his wife was on the verge of going on trial, in the same way that he used the word ‘genocide’, recognised the Palestinian state, and encouraged violent protests to ruin the Vuelta a España,” he said.
It is not yet known if Sánchez’s wife will go on trial.
The diplomatic fallout from Spain’s policy has been substantial – the Israeli government has repeatedly accused Madrid of anti-Semitism, comparing its actions to the Catholic Inquisition and the expulsion of Jews from Spain in the 15th century. However, despite such turmoil, Sánchez’s status as a bold progressive – and one of the EU’s only left-wing leaders – has been burnished.
This has coincided with the arrival of Donald Trump as US president. Washington has described Spanish sanctions against Israel as “very concerning” and Sánchez’s refusal to accept a new defence-spending target for Nato members has drawn Trump’s wrath. However, both policies have given the Spanish leader kudos on the European left and are among the reasons why Italy’s L’Espresso magazine recently named him “person of the year”.
Camas says that Sánchez’s stances on defence spending and Israel have successfully underlined his profile on the international stage. His willingness to take the lead on such issues, ease at international summits and ability to speak fluent English all make him relatively unusual for a Spanish leader.
“One of the virtues most widely attributed to Sánchez is his international image,” says Camas. “Traditionally, Spain has been a bit behind other countries or the European institutional position – it hasn’t had a strong, clear voice setting it apart. But when it comes to foreign policy, this government has tried to have a voice of its own.”
