“Europe’s challenge is not only to rearm itself to address its security and defence problems, but to also rearm itself morally, so that it can contribute to stable and peaceful development throughout the world.”
That was the message from Spain’s socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez, speaking at a European forum this week, with comments that show why his country has been dubbed by some as “Europe’s conscience”.
From Gaza to Lebanon, Trump to Netanyahu, Spain has stood as something of an outlier in Western Europe for unequivocally taking a stand while other nations have tended to temper their criticism.
When the US and Israel launched their joint strikes on Iran at the end of February, Mr Sanchez clearly condemned the conflict as an “unjustified and dangerous military intervention that is outside international law”, later branding it “absurd, cruel and illegal”.
He was also quick to deny American forces permission to use jointly operated bases to launch attacks against the Islamic Republic.
“We don’t authorise either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Spain’s defence minister Margarita Robles said last month. “I think everyone knows Spain’s position. It’s very clear.”
And, this week, Spain became the first Western country to reopen its embassy in Tehran after a fragile US-Iran ceasefire took hold
Mr Sanchez appeared unimpressed by the fragile agreement, brokered by Pakistan hours after President Trump threatened to wipe Iranian civilisation off the map, writing: “The government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.”
Mr Sanchez’s approach has unsurprisingly earned him the ire of both the US and Israel’s leaders. Mr Trump called Spain “terrible” and threatened to cut off all trade over the refusal to use bases in its fight with Iran.
And on Friday, Mr Netanyahu announced he would be ousting Spain from a US-led Gaza military strategy centre in the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat for its “hypocrisy and hostility” and for having “chosen repeatedly to stand against Israel”.
“Spain has defamed our heroes… the soldiers of the most moral army in the world,” Mr Netanyahu said in a video address posted to X on Friday. “I do not intend to allow any country to wage a diplomatic war against us without paying an immediate price.”
Spain has also condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, accusing the country of trying to “inflict the same level of damage and destruction” it has done in Gaza.
“There must be no impunity for these criminal acts,” the prime minister said after the latest wave of strikes, before calling for the EU to suspend trade with Israel in a speech on Friday.
The latest clashes follow Madrid permanently withdrawing its ambassador to Tel Aviv in March after years of disagreements and tensions.
Iran appears to have returned the gestures of support, dubbing Spain a “non-hostile” country.
Tehran even suggested it may let its ships pass through its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
While other Western European countries have tried to balance criticism of Mr Trump with the need to keep the US on side, Mr Sanchez’s unambiguous approach reflects anti-American sentiment in Spain.
A majority of Spanish people (51 per cent) believe that Washington poses a threat to Europe, according to a new Politico European Pulse survey released on Thursday – the largest proportion of respondents from all countries surveyed.
Forty-three per cent of Spaniards oppose the US-Israeli war on Iran, while 22 per cent remain neutral.
A huge 94 per cent of respondents said that Europe needs to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on other major powers.
Tensions have been bubbling for years, with Spain joining Ireland to become Israel’s staunchest critics of the country’s war in Gaza after October 2023.
Mr Sanchez openly accused the Israeli government of genocide, claims which Israel has previously dismissed as antisemitic. Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations have all agreed with the conclusion.
The country also became one of the first European nations to recognise the state of Palestine.
“Spain originally condemned attacks by Hamas and acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defence,” says Vuk Vuksanović, an associate at LSE Ideas and a lecturer in foreign policy and grand strategy education at King’s College London.
“Madrid views Israeli actions as a disproportionate response with severe humanitarian consequences for the Palestinians and as a main generator of regional instability.
“Since then, Spain has been somewhat at the forefront of condemning both Israeli actions in Gaza and its strikes against Iran.”
Mr Vuksanović says that Ireland, Slovenia and Norway have taken similar stances to Spain, providing the country with a “reputational boost” as a result.
“These are not geopolitical heavyweights, and they are not game-changers in terms of Europe’s overall posturing, as Europe, on one hand, avoids the risk of being dragged into an ill-conceived war in Iran,” he said.
“On the other hand, with the exception of Spain and a few other countries, it avoids being vocal in criticism of the US and Israel.”
With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, the reluctance of Nato to intervene has led to Mr Trump making several statements attacking the alliance and complaining of a lack of support.
But Spain’s cultural history, and geographical position near North Africa, mean that it is particularly mindful of instability in the Middle East, experts say.
“In that context, one should remember the terrorist attacks in Madrid in 2004, Spain’s deadliest terrorist attack and one of the deadliest in Europe’s history. It was widely interpreted domestically as being linked to Spain’s involvement in Iraq,” says Mr Vuksanović.
“What came after the attack was the electoral change of government and Madrid pulling its troops from Iraq.”
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