Short answer: No. As of August 2026, Pedro Sanchez, Spain's Prime Minister, does not support Israel. He is one of the most vocally anti-Israel heads of government in Europe: he has repeatedly accused Israel of "genocide" in Gaza, recognized a Palestinian state, imposed a total arms embargo on Israel, and called for Israel's expulsion from international sporting events, a stance so firm that Spain withdrew from Eurovision 2026 over Israel's inclusion.
What Pedro Sanchez has actually said and done
The record is consistent and it escalates year over year. Here is what Sanchez said and did, in order.
- May 28, 2024: Spain's government formally approved recognition of a Palestinian state, a move Sanchez announced on May 22, aligning Spain with Ireland and Norway. Israel withdrew its ambassador from Madrid in response, according to La Moncloa, the Spanish government's own release.
- June 26, 2025: Sanchez became the most senior European leader to explicitly call Israel's campaign in Gaza a "genocide," remarks made the same day rescuers reported dozens killed in strikes, as reported by France 24.
- September 8, 2025: Sanchez announced a package of measures against Israel including a total arms embargo, banning the export and import of defense equipment and barring ships or aircraft carrying military-linked cargo from Spanish ports and airspace, saying the goal was to "stop the genocide in Gaza." Al Jazeera reported the announcement, and FDD noted the U.S. State Department criticized the move as emboldening terrorists.
- September 15, 2025: After pro-Palestinian activists disrupted the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race in Madrid, targeting the Israel-Premier Tech team, Sanchez called for Israel to be banned from international sporting competitions, comparing it to Russia's exclusion over Ukraine, and voiced "admiration" for the protesters, per Al Jazeera.
- September 16, 2025: Spain's public broadcaster RTVE formally voted to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is permitted to compete, becoming the first "Big Five" broadcaster to take that position, according to Euronews.
- October 8, 2025: Spain's parliament formally ratified the arms embargo decree, voting 178 to 169 to approve the measure banning arms trade with Israel, as reported by the Times of Israel.
- December 4, 2025: After the European Broadcasting Union's General Assembly decided Israel would remain eligible for Eurovision 2026, Spain followed through and formally withdrew from the contest in protest, alongside Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, per CNN.
- December 2025: Meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Sanchez again accused Israel of genocide, saying "those responsible for this genocide must be held accountable, sooner or later," according to Ynet.
The bigger picture
Pedro Sanchez has been Spain's Prime Minister since 2018 and remains in office as of August 2026. On Israel, his position has been consistent and has escalated steadily since October 2023. He was among the earliest European leaders to call Israeli conduct in Gaza "disproportionate" in April 2024, moved to formal recognition of a Palestinian state the following month, and by mid-to-late 2025 had adopted the term "genocide," backed it with a bilateral arms embargo passed into Spanish law, and pushed for Israel's exclusion from international sport, up to and including Eurovision. Israel's government has responded with public anger, recalling its ambassador after the 2024 recognition, and its Madrid embassy has accused Sanchez of "demonising" Israel and called Spain "on the wrong side of history." There is no public record of Sanchez making pro-Israel statements, visiting Israel in solidarity, or opposing boycotts against it. His record on this question runs entirely in one direction.
The bottom line
Pedro Sanchez does not support Israel. His government's record, genocide accusations, Palestinian state recognition, a total arms embargo, and a push to bar Israel from international sport including Eurovision, places him among the most consistently critical European heads of government toward Israel through August 2026.
Wear your answer
Where a head of government's rhetoric turns cold, everyday Jewish pride still has a place. Our Support Israel collection is built for exactly that: quiet, wearable ways to stand with Israel regardless of what's happening in the news, including the I Stand With Israel bracelet for something simple you can put on every morning.
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Last updated August 2026. We update these profiles as the record changes.
