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A group of Spanish legal professionals has called on the government to break diplomatic ties with Israel and impose sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes.

Under the non-governmental organisation Jurists for Palestine, judges, prosecutors, and lawyers handed a petition with more than 1,200 signatures to parliament calling forÌýPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez to issue sanctions and a total arms embargo.

Speaking outside the Spanish Congress in Madrid on Tuesday, spokesperson Judge Pilar Barrado said Israel's genocide in Gaza and violations of international law had reached an intolerable level.

"Human rights are universal," she told reporters. "We cannot accept a world where some are allowed to massacre others with impunity."

'We don't want to be complicit in genocide'

Judge Barrado called on Sanchez to respect Article 93 of the Spanish Constitution, which mandates compliance with international treaties and resolutions.

The jurists urged the Spanish Congress to adopt measures aligned with UN resolutions and enforce the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Ìý

In a manifesto presented to party members, jurists demanded the government to end trade agreements perpetuating Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land, impose political and economic sanctions, and enforce an arms embargo. Ìý

The group also urged to scrap diplomatic relations while the genocide continues in Gaza, with over 45,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023.

"We don't want Spain to be complicit" in this genocide, the spokesperson said.

Judge Barrado also warned the Spanish government to comply with international law and allow the entrance of Palestinian refugees claiming asylum without being barred entrance.

In 2021, a group of 39 Palestinian refugees were retained at the Barcelona airport after being denied entrance to Spain, after spending five days in an asylum limbo, only 29 had their application approved.

Commenting on the controversial decision, the jurist added: "Palestinians should have access to the system of international protection in the same way that nationals from Venezuela and Ukraine have."

The demands have received backing from left-wing coalition parties, including Podemos, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), and Sumar.

Podemos previously submitted a similar motion to Parliament earlier this year, which was rejected, however, support for these measures has grown amid the ongoing violence in the enclave.

Calls for stronger government action Ìý

While acknowledging Prime Minister Sánchez's condemnation of the violence in Gaza at the UN General Assembly, jurists called for more decisive measures to prevent ongoing atrocities. Ìý

"All states and international organisations are obliged to act to end Israel’s illegal occupation by exerting political, economic, and cultural pressure against the Israeli government," their manifesto said.

The legal push comes after Madrid's decision to freeze military transactions with Israel, but Jurists for Palestine insisted that a full embargo and severing of diplomatic ties are necessary to uphold international law and human rights. Ìý

Only the sales of weapons to Israel had ceased following the outbreak of the war on Gaza. However, some existing contracts authorised continued without cancellation,ÌýEl PaisÌýpreviously reported.

In May, Spain, along with Norway and Ireland, formally recognised a unified Palestinian state governed by Ramallah comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital.