BARCELONA, June 8, 2018 (WAFA) – On 25 May, with the support of an overwhelming majority of its members, the Barcelona City Council called for a comprehensive military embargo on Israel and demanded the Spanish government to ensure its implementation.
The council also called for the immediate release of the over 400 child prisoners in Israel.
The city called for these actions in compliance with the European Union Code of Conduct on arms exports and the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Council’s declaration also recalled the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in its demand of the EU and the UN to ensure Israel’s compliance and accountability via its support of an international investigation of the latest killings in Gaza.
The declaration condemned the attacks on Gaza and the recent relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, and called on Israel and Egypt to allow the freedom of movement for Palestinians from Gaza.
The declaration received overwhelming support from the civil society and was passed by the majority of political parties in Barcelona.
This constitutes an important precedent and a major step forward on the way to end international military and security ties with Israel, until it complies with international law and respects Palestinian human rights.
Five out of seven political parties in the Barcelona City Council, Barcelona en Comú, Candidatura d’Unitat Popular, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Partit Socialista de Catalunya and Partit Demòcrata de Catalunya, as well as the non-affiliated councillor Gerard Ardanuy, supported the declaration.
Barcelona is so far the largest city to heed the call of Palestinian civil society for an end to arms trade and military and security cooperation with Israel’s regime of apartheid, settler colonialism and occupation, similar to the one applied against apartheid in South Africa.
Spain has a strong history of supporting BDS with almost 50 municipalities around the country passing resolutions that endorsed the movement over the years.
M.N
