MADRID — Spain has announced the termination of a contract for anti-tank missile systems that were slated to be produced in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli defense company. This move is part of Spain’s strategy to reduce reliance on Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
The contract in question involved 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems, with an anticipated value of 285 million euros, or approximately $325 million. These systems were intended to be developed by Pap Tecnos, an Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems subsidiary based in Madrid, as reported by local media.
“Our objective is straightforward…to completely disconnect from Israeli military technology,” government spokesperson Pilar Alegría explained, emphasizing that the government is currently analyzing “the repercussions of this cancellation.” However, when approached for comments regarding the decision, Israel’s Defense Ministry directed inquiries to Rafael, which stated it was unaware of the contract’s cancellation. Pap Tecnos, stationed just outside Madrid, declined to comment.
The deal saw approval on October 3, 2023, just days before a significant Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that triggered a prolonged conflict in Gaza. At the point of approval, Spanish authorities justified the deal by stating that their military’s current systems were outdated and required modernization to align with those used by allied forces.
Furthermore, Spain’s current administration, leaning left in its political ideology, announced it halted arms exports to Israel as of October 2, 2023. However, there have been reports suggesting that some shipments may have bypassed these controls.
At the end of the previous year, the United States initiated an investigation into whether Spain, a NATO ally, had denied docking to at least three vessels reportedly carrying US arms to Israel.
In a significant diplomatic move, Spain formally acknowledged the State of Palestine in May 2024, in alignment with similar actions taken by Norway and Ireland. Following this, Spain became the first European nation to seek permission from the International Court of Justice to join an ongoing case initiated by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel has fervently denied this accusation.