SPAIN: Sánchez Condemns Israel’s Moves & more – 11th Sep 2025

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 11th of September twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Starting this week's episode, on Monday the 8th, during a congress meeting, President Pedro Sánchez sharply condemned Israel’s Gaza offensive, calling it the “extermination of a defenseless people” and a violation of humanitarian law. While unveiling new measures, Sánchez announced a formal arms embargo, a ban on ships carrying fuel for Israel’s military through Spanish ports, and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza, pledging over 150 million euros in aid by twenty twenty-six. He also vowed to block goods from Israeli settlements.

Sánchez admitted these steps might not halt the war, but said they aim to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government into ending the war.

In retaliation, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sánchez´s government of antisemitism on Twitter and said Israel is banning Yolanda Díaz, the Labor Minister, and Sira Rego, the Youth Minister, from traveling to the country, because of their “genocidal state” remarks.

On Tuesday the 9th, Spain also deepened its diplomatic rift with Israel by barring far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich from entering its territory.

José Manuel Albares, Spain’s Foreign Minister, announced the move, saying both ministers would face sanctions for their roles in alleged genocide, human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza.

Spain rejected Israel’s description of the events as slanderous and recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv with no return date set.

Meanwhile, in the judicial branch, on Tuesday the 9th, Álvaro García Ortiz stood trial for allegedly leaking confidential information in a politically charged tax-fraud case, marking the first criminal prosecution of a sitting prosecutor general in Spain’s modern democracy.

The Supreme Court ruled that Ortiz leaked a private email on tax-fraud allegations involving Alberto González Amador, Isabel Díaz Ayuso´s partner, to counter Ortiz's plea deal. The court also set Ortiz’s bail at 150,000 euros but let him remain in office. The ruling heightens tensions between Sánchez’s government and parts of the judiciary, as Ortiz refuses to resign and insists on his innocence.

Also on Tuesday, the country´s cabinet approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking and vaping on bar and restaurant terraces, extend restrictions to stadiums, sports centers, playgrounds, bus stops, and schools, and outlaw single-use e-cigarettes.

The bill treats vapes, nicotine pouches, herbal products, shisha pipes, and heated-tobacco devices the same as traditional cigarettes, prohibiting their use in enclosed and designated outdoor public spaces. It also bans advertising, sponsorship, and promotion of these products.

Mónica García Gómez, the Health Minister, said the reform will give the country control over tobacco companies, citing past bans in two thousand five and twenty ten, where it was outlawed in workplaces and hospitality venues. She also warned that tobacco kills over 50,000 Spaniards yearly and causes 30% of cancers.

Critics slammed the bill for not including plain packs and price hikes, fearing that tobacco companies might sway the decision on whether plain packs and higher taxes for companies will be accepted or not.

As the school year for most has just begun, let´s take a look at education. On Tuesday the 9th, Spain’s Council of Universities sparked a little bit of controversy when it decided to approve new regional degrees in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Granada and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Jaén, despite previous rejections by Andalucía’s regional government and the regional quality agency.

Senior educators in Granada and Jaén, in the south, labeled the national ruling as a correction of “an unjust situation,” as they believe that the south has long suffered from unequal access to educational opportunities compared to other regions.

The Andalucian government called for an urgent meeting to discuss all sides on Thursday, the 11th, to defuse criticism.

Turning to the northeast, this week, Barcelona Metro launched its first suicide-prevention campaign, openly addressing an issue long treated as taboo. Over the past five years, the network has recorded 122 suicide attempts, over thirty of them fatal.

The initiative includes posters on platforms with the message If you are experiencing a difficult situation, stop and call, displaying the city’s suicide-prevention hotline and the regional health line. In station lobbies, other posters offer psychological support to passengers who witness incidents, directing them to emergency services.

The City Council, the Generalitat Health Department, psychologists, and the Fundación Ayuda y Esperanza developed the campaign, which will expand progressively across the network after debuting at Guinardó-Hospital de Sant Pau station.

Amid growing pressure after this summer’s fires, on Tuesday, the 9th, Alfonso Rueda, Galicia’s regional president in the northwest, vowed to enforce a two thousand seven wildfire prevention law long neglected by successive governments.

The legislation requires landowners to clear vegetation by removing unwanted plants and maintain firebreaks around homes to slow fire from spreading, but compliance has been minimal. Rueda said the regional government will now carry out clearing on private land, charging owners and issuing fines where necessary.

Rueda has also urged the central government to establish a permanent base of the Military Emergency Unit in Galicia.

Looking at childcare, on Tuesday, the 9th, Congress approved the government decree extending maternity and childcare leave from sixteen to nineteen weeks. Since only Vox refuses to support the measure, it is set to go ahead.

The reform also increases leave for single-parent families from twenty-six to thirty-two weeks. Yolanda Díaz defended the law, stressing it would benefit over one million people in its first year.

The decree is also a response to EU pressure, which has subjected Spain to daily fines for failing to comply with EU parental leave directives, which include carers' leave and extended parental leave.

Next, an interesting environmental story. On Wednesday the 10th, the Soto-Gutiérrez wetlands in Ciempozuelos, Central Spain, known as Madrid’s little Doñana, are experiencing ecological recovery after years of degradation.

The Global Nature Foundation, which acquired the site in November twenty twenty-four, has led restoration efforts by clearing dead vegetation, reshaping land to unify water surfaces, and building an embankment for future observation terraces.

These first stages of the project cost around 70,000 euros, and they have already attracted marsh harriers, storks, black-winged stilts, coots, mallards, and the rare slender redshank, a migratory bird listed in Europe’s Red List.

Experts say the Soto-Gutiérrez wetland now symbolizes the potential of restoring degraded wetlands.

On Sunday, the 7th, Colombian artist Sebastián Sánchez revealed a new sculpture in Granada, Southern Spain, honoring the canonization of Saint Carlo Acutis, who is celebrated as the cyber-apostle of the Eucharist for his unique modern approach to faith.

Carlo, an Italian teenager who died of leukemia in two thousand six at fifteen years old, combined deep Catholic devotion with digital skills, creating a website documenting Eucharistic miracles worldwide and using technology to evangelize and educate young people about the faith.

The statue portrays Carlo casually sitting on his bed with his laptop, interacting with friends, and reflecting his integration of everyday life and spirituality.

In entertainment news, on Tuesday, the 9th, Spain’s public broadcasting organization Radiotelevisión Española confirmed that Benidorm Fest twenty twenty-six will go ahead even if Spain withdraws from Eurovision over Israel’s participation.

The broadcaster emphasized that the contest has grown into a music festival with its own identity and is no longer just a Eurovision preselection. For the first time, this year’s general rehearsals will be open to the public.

Sixteen acts will compete, chosen by a revamped selection committee, and the winner will receive 150,000 euros to support their career.

The country will announce whether it will participate in the preselection in December.

Closing with sports, on Sunday, the 7th, the men's national team demolished Turkey 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier, showcasing why many see them as frontrunners for a twenty twenty-six glory.

Mikel Merino, the midfielder, has now scored six times in six matches, earning him the title of La Rioja´s secret weapon. Even though he is just eighteen, Lamine Yamal cemented his status as the country's next global superstar with his defense skills. La Roja looks primed to dominate next summer’s World Cup.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!