Three out of four People in Spain Call for Halt to Arms Trade with Israel

December 20, 2023

Groundbreaking Opinion Poll Indicates Resounding Demand to Cease Arms Trade with Israel, Urging Immediate Government Action

MADRID — A staggering majority of Spanish people want the arms trade between Israel and Spain to end, according to a YouGov opinion survey carried out by corporate accountability group Ekō.

The survey, believed to be the first of its kind conducted in Spain, asked two targeted questions: one towards the general Spanish population, and the the other directed at voters of the Socialist Party (PSOE), currently in government with progressive political party Sumar. The results shed light on the prevailing sentiment regarding this issue.

The survey reveals that:

88% voters of the Socialist party agree that arms trade with Israel should end
78% of Spanish people agree that arms trade with Israel should end

The results of the survey were announced during a press conference for the “End the arms trade with Israel” campaign in Spanish Congress. Over 375 organisations in Spain have endorsed the campaign including the political parties to the left of the Socialist Party, the biggest trade union in Spain, the biggest coalition of NGOs and the coalition of neighborhood associations.

Amidst the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip, Spain has authorised buying weapons worth over 800 € million, including rocket launchers and missiles. From 2005 to 2022 Spanish autorised the export of 136 € million worth of weaponry to Israel.

Since October 7th Israel has bombed schools, hospitals, refugee camps and residential homes in the Gaza strip, killing 20,000 Palestinians, including nearly 10,000 kids.

“It's a breach of national law and downright immoral for Spain to keep buying and selling weapons to Israel. Now it is clear that the vast majority of Spanish people agree this trade should end The Spanish government has the opportunity to contribute to peace by immediately ending all arms trade with Israel instead of fueling the genocide against the Palestinian people,” says Alys Samson Estapé, campaigner at Ekō

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More information on the survey available here: https://eko.org/results-for-gaza

VIEW THE PETITION HERE: https://actions.eko.org/a/stop-arms-sales-to-israel

Almost 100,000 people worldwide are asking governments in the world to suspend arms deal with Israel

Ekō is a global movement of consumers, investors, and workers all around the world, united together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable and just path for our global economy.