Israel Boots Spain From US-Led Gaza Center
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- Netanyahu announced Friday he was ousting Spain from the U.S.-created Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, which oversees Gaza peace efforts, accusing Madrid of defaming IDF soldiers as part of 'the most moral army in the world.'
- Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said he informed the U.S. of the decision ahead of the announcement, and the center falls under U.S. Central Command — meaning the expulsion carried explicit U.S. sign-off, not just an Israeli unilateral move.
- Spain restricted U.S. military use of its air bases for Iran operations citing international law violations, closed its airspace to U.S. warplanes at the end of March, and 'categorically' denied ever agreeing to cooperate with the U.S.
- Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain in response, calling the country 'terrible' and directing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to 'cut off all dealings' with the European ally.
- Spain this week condemned Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon that killed at least 200 and injured more than 1,000, calling them violations of both international law and a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal reached Tuesday.
- Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez called on the EU to suspend its treaty with Israel, posting on X that Netanyahu's 'contempt for life and international law is intolerable.'
Why it matters: Spain's ejection from a U.S.-Central-Command-run Gaza coordination center, backed by Trump's trade threats, formalizes a split between the U.S.-Israel axis and a major EU/NATO member over the Iran war. With Spain simultaneously pushing the EU to suspend its treaty with Israel over the Lebanon strikes, the expulsion deepens the transatlantic fracture and sidelines a European government from the Gaza peace plan it once helped design.
