Spain will submit a proposal to the European Union (EU) on Tuesday to terminate its Association Agreement with Israel, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday, adding that "those who violate international law and the principles and values of the European Union cannot be partners of the EU."

The Association Agreement has been in force since 2000 to provide the legal basis for the EU's trade relationship with Israel.

Sanchez made the remarks at a campaign rally in Gibraleon, in the southern province of Huelva, ahead of regional elections in Andalusia.

"We will do so not because we have anything against the Israeli people, on the contrary, we are a people who are friends of the Israeli people, but because we do not agree with the actions being carried out by its government," he added.

At the campaign event, he also reiterated Spain's opposition to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, describing it as a major mistake.

Spain has in recent months adopted a more assertive stance on Middle East issues, calling for greater adherence to international law and multilateral principles in EU's external relations.

(Cover: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, April 17, 2026. /VCG)