Spain’s government has ordered seven online platforms to remove more than 100 listings for vacation rentals in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
The consumer affairs ministry said on Tuesday it has identified 138 listings on platforms operating in Spain and notified the companies to "immediately remove or block" the content.
If they fail to comply, the platforms could face further government action, the statement said without specifying what the consequences would be.
The move is part of measures adopted by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government backing Palestine and condemning Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.
A decree approved by lawmakers in October includes an arms embargo on Israel and a ban on the advertising of products "coming from illegal colonies in Gaza and the West Bank".
Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy said the listings help "normalise and perpetuate a colonial regime considered illegal under international law".
In October, France’s Human Rights League filed complaints against Airbnb and Booking.com accusing them of promoting "occupation tourism" by featuring properties in illegal settlements.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law, a position repeatedly affirmed by the United Nations and most of the international community.
Spain recognised the Palestinian state in 2024 and has become one of the most outspoken European critics of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed over 71,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children and reduced most of the enclave to rubble.
