The Diplomat The parliamentary group of Sumar in the Congress of Deputies asks the Government of which it is a part to apply sanctions to those companies that “profit” from projects supporting Israel in the “illegal colonization” of Palestine. Through a parliamentary question for a written response, the spokesman for IU in Congress, Enrique Santiago, and the deputy Fèlix Alonso, demand that the highest officials in matters of Economy and Foreign Affairs of the Government, the ministers Carlos Cuerpo and José Manuel Albares respectively, speak out publicly about the situation of several Spanish companies that continue to do business in the occupied Palestinian territories. Sumar recalls that the Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, went to kyiv (Ukraine) accompanied by a delegation of 23 Spanish companies, among which were executives from Acciona, Adif, CAF and Renfe. This visit was aimed at studying opportunities for cooperation between the two countries and took place, according to Sumar, in a context of sanctions against Russian companies and individuals for their participation in the military effort or the Russian economy. This criterion is also used in Spain to reject the genocide in Gaza with actions such as the cessation of new arms sales contracts or the recognition of the Palestinian State. However, the multinational group considers that currently there are "still" Spanish companies that "profit" from the occupation of Palestine. They give as an example the company CAF, which they claim “manages and develops light rail lines between the Israeli zone and the nearby colonies in Occupied Territory” or the company SEMI, which they specify is “involved” in the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem railway, although they are not the only ones. “Spain becomes the third European country with the largest number of companies that have profited from activities developed in these territories, only behind Germany and Italy,” they reproach in the initiative reported by Europa Press.For all this, Sumar urges the Executive to know, first of all, what was the criterion for choosing the companies that accompanied Minister Cuerpo in the delegation. They also want to know if the Government is “aware” that Spain “fails” to comply with the European directive on due diligence when it “rewards and/or supports” companies such as those mentioned above that participate in projects for the “illegal colonisation” of Israel and, in relation to this issue, they take the opportunity to question what measures the Executive is going to take to end the support or sanction these companies that “profit” from projects supporting Israel and prevent them from being able to take part in tenders, public purchases and subsidies. Regarding the CAF company, Yolanda Díaz's party demands that the executive's directors and employees of said company be informed by the Executive that participation in projects in Israeli territory constitutes a crime against the property and persons protected in the event of armed conflict and they may be prosecuted in Spanish courts. Finally, they ask to know if the Executive is going to implement the necessary mechanisms so that the Public Prosecutor's Office of the National Court initiates criminal proceedings against the directors and employees of CAF who participate in the aforementioned project.
