Relationship dossier
Israel
Spain
Relationship assessment
Diplomatic relations strained by Spain’s recognition of Palestine and the Gaza war
Israel toward Spain
-30Israel responded to Spain’s recognition of Palestinian statehood by restricting the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians. Israeli officials also sharply criticized Spain’s policy on the issue.
Spain toward Israel
-35Spain recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024 and imposed restrictions on arms exports to Israel amid the Gaza war. Spanish officials have criticized Israeli military operations, contributing to diplomatic tensions.
Overall relationship
-30The relationship has a foundation of diplomatic and economic ties, but recent disputes over the Gaza war and Palestinian statehood have become a prominent and sustained source of friction. Spain’s recognition of Palestine and arms-export restrictions, together with Israel’s response affecting Spanish consular activity, weigh heavily on the bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Israel and Spain have maintained diplomatic and economic relations, but government relations have become sharply strained over the Gaza war and Palestinian statehood. Spain recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024 and restricted arms exports to Israel; Israel responded with diplomatic measures affecting Spain’s consular activity concerning Palestinians. The depth and durability of earlier bilateral cooperation are less clear.
Areas of tension
- Spain’s recognition of Palestinian statehood
- Israeli military operations in Gaza and Spain’s public criticism
- Spain’s restrictions on arms exports to Israel
- Israel’s restrictions on Spanish consular activity concerning Palestinians
Key developments
Spain recognized the State of Palestine, prompting a sharp diplomatic dispute with Israel.
Israel announced restrictions on the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem concerning services to Palestinians following Spain’s recognition of Palestine.
Spain imposed restrictions on arms exports to Israel amid the Gaza war.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Spain’s restrictions on arms exports to Israel are unclear.
- The duration and practical effects of Israel’s restrictions on Spanish consular activity are uncertain.
- The extent of ongoing bilateral cooperation outside the Gaza and Palestinian statehood disputes is unclear.