Spain, long seen as a loyal NATO ally, is now carving out a path that could make it the West’s most unexpected rebel. Since 2023, the Spanish government under the leadership of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pursued an increasingly independent course that directly challenges American positions on Israel, embraces deeper economic ties with China, and questions NATO's one-size-fits-all approach to security. Spain's confrontation with Israel has perhaps been the most dramatic manifestation of its independence from Western foreign policy priorities. In May 2024, Spain formally recognized...















