Madrid - In what was taken as an indirect swipe at Israel's actions in the Gaza, Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon has announced a military ethical code of conduct to prevent the Spanish army from misusing force, press reports said Wednesday.

Chacon announced the reform in a speech in which she was seen as indirectly criticizing Israel, during an annual military ceremony on Tuesday.

The code of conduct based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international humanitarian law was seen as trying to prevent action such as that by the United States in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and by Israel in Gaza.

It contained "two principles of tragic actuality," the obligation to differentiate between military and civilian targets and the prohibition of "certain weapons and tactics that are repugnant to the modern conscience," Chacon said.

The minister mentioned cluster bombs, which Israel has used in Gaza.

The code also prohibits abuse of prisoners and obliges soldiers to protect women and children from prostitution or sexual abuse in war or peacekeeping operations.

Soldiers have the right not to obey orders contrary to ethical conduct.

Most of the principles contained in the code are already enshrined in international agreements signed by Spain. But the code presents them in a systematic manner, obliging soldiers to know, divulge and apply them.

The code will form part of a decree replacing the 1978 rules regulating the conduct of the army.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero earlier warned Israel against the "disproportionate" use of force, saying there was no military solution to the Middle East conflict. (dpa)