On April 19, according to RTVE, Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez stated that Spain will formally propose to the European Union on April 21 to terminate its Association Agreement with Israel.

Sánchez pointed out: "No country that violates international law—thereby contravening EU principles and values—can be a partner of the European Union."

This indeed represents a "bombshell" in Spain's foreign policy. On April 19, Sánchez announced that he would officially propose on Tuesday, April 21, to terminate the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel—a move that goes beyond mere verbal protest, aiming instead to sever the EU-Israel relationship at the legal and institutional foundation level.

Sánchez’s statement is notably sharp, directly targeting the EU’s Achilles’ heel: "values-based diplomacy."

The EU-Israel Association Agreement explicitly states in Article 2 that relations between the two parties must be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.

He accused Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon of "flagrant violations" of international humanitarian law, even using the severe term "genocide." Since Israel has breached the core clause of the agreement—human rights—continuing the partnership would render the EU hypocritical and complicit.

Spain aims to elevate the Israeli-Palestinian issue from a mere "geopolitical conflict" into an internal "rule-of-law issue" within the EU, forcing the bloc to choose between "upholding legal integrity" and "maintaining alliance relationships."

The immediate trigger for Sánchez’s intense rhetoric was Israel’s large-scale air strikes on Lebanon starting April 8, resulting in massive civilian casualties. Sánchez clearly stated that Europe must act in unison to prevent Lebanon from "following in Gaza’s footsteps."

Although Spain’s proposal faces extremely low chances of passing within the EU (requiring unanimous approval by all 27 member states, with countries like Germany certain to oppose), its political symbolism and actual disruptive impact cannot be underestimated:

Chilling effect: Even if the agreement is not terminated, such a proposal will make EU businesses and investors hesitant about cooperating with Israel, fearing legal and reputational risks.

This marks the public exposure of rifts within the EU over the Israel-Palestine issue. Countries like Spain and Ireland are pushing to shift EU foreign policy toward the left, breaking decisively with traditional pro-Israel stances.

In coordination with the earlier joint appeal by 350 European former high-ranking officials and the million signatures gathered from citizens, Spain is constructing a narrative portraying Israel as an international pariah.

In short, Sánchez’s proposal is an attempt to use EU legal provisions to "encircle" Israel diplomatically. It signals that Spain has abandoned moderate mediation efforts and shifted to a "punitive diplomacy," seeking to force Israel to halt military actions by cutting economic and political ties. This is not only a declaration of war against Israel but also a powerful challenge to American hegemony in the Middle East.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862905170149440/

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