Court on the purchase of local police equipment in Israel: "We only hire authorized companies."

PalmPalma City Council issued a statement this Wednesday following Podemos' accusations of alleged purchases of police equipment from Israel. Municipal spokesperson Mercedes Celeste emphasized that the City Council, like any other public institution, can only contract with companies registered in the official registry of companies authorized to work with public administrations.

Celeste made these statements after Podemos warned of the possible relationship between some companies contracted to supply equipment to the Local Police and the Israeli military industry. "This would mean that Palma City Council could be purchasing police equipment from Israel, in a context of violation of the ceasefire after two years of genocide in Gaza," warned Councilor Lucía Muñoz.

The municipal spokesperson insisted that the City Council only hires companies authorized in the public registers and criticized Muñoz for his trip with the humanitarian flotilla: "Is Ms. Muñoz in Palma? Has she returned? Does she work for Palma? Has she held a press conference for Palma? I'm glad," but I think she has been pleased.

In a previous press conference, Lucía Muñoz referred to contracts that the City Council signed between 2024 and 2025 with three companies that handle a large part of the municipal purchases of police equipment—vests, holsters, and handcuffs—and that could act as intermediaries for Israeli manufacturers.

"The mayor must clearly state whether the police who silence demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine use Israeli equipment. We cannot allow Palma to contribute, either directly or indirectly, to the financing of the war apparatus of a genocidal state," Lucía Muñoz concluded.

Furthermore, Podemos has urged Mayor Jaime Martínez to prevent the arrival in Palma of a cruise ship from Israel, scheduled for November 6. It is a ship that is scheduled to set sail from the Israeli port of Ashdod. "We cannot allow Palma to be the stairway for a ship that departs from a port that symbolizes impunity," she stated.

Muñoz recalled his own experience during the Global Sumud Flotilla, referring to the fact that he went to the port of Ashdod where they were taken by the Israeli police.