Israeli-Spanish Relations

Franco-Spain did not recognize Israel, referring to the international conspiracy of Jews and free Masons against Spain, " The Theory of the Masonic Masonic Conspiracy ." ^[2] In 1949, Israel voted against the imposition of sanctions against Spain at the UN General Assembly because of the Franco regime and its sympathy and material support for axis countries . ^[3] Despite the lack of diplomatic ties, the Franco government promoted Jewish emigration from Morocco in the 1960s and during the Six Day War of 1967, they gave Laissez-Passer to Egyptian Jews , allowing them to emigrate. ^[four]

The pro-Arab dialectic of previous Franco governments created a permanent position that was very difficult to overcome even after the transition to democracy. ^[2] The first Spanish government after the death of General Franco, led by Adolfo Suárez, declared that it would not recognize Israel unless it left the occupied territories and allowed the creation of a Palestinian state. ^[five]

After the resignation of Suarez in 1982, the new president of the Spanish government (prime minister) ^[6] Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo seemed inclined to establish relations between Spain and Israel, but this was to wait for the next government because of the pro-Arab position of the foreign minister José Pedro Pérez-Llorca, ^[7] who opposed the recognition of Israel in response to its connection with the Sabra and Chatil massacre , and fear of the oil embargo as a repression of Arab countries. ^{[8] [9]} Perez-Llorka later became an advisor to Kuwait Petroleum . ^[ten]

Nevertheless, small steps have been taken to bring rapprochement, including the informal contacts of Samuel Hadas, the representative of Israel at the United Nations World Tourism Organization , headquartered in Madrid. Hadas, a member of the Israeli Workers' Party, was responsible for setting up the Friends of Israel Spanish Association and a dialogue group that included several members of the Spanish Parliament from the Spanish Socialist Workers Party , such as Enrique Múgica Herzog , as well as members of the ruling UCD party. ^[eleven]

In order to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, Prime Minister Felipe González , who was elected from the Socialist Party three years earlier, sent a personal letter to the Secretary General of the Arab League, Shedley Clibi, on April 25, 1985, informing him of the plans of the Spanish government. ^[12] After Operation Wooden Leg, the Spanish government strongly condemned the attack, temporarily suspending the recognition of Israel. Further conversations with the Arab ambassadors in Madrid in January next year, informing them of Spain's plans. Both countries established diplomatic relations on January 17, 1986. ^[13] Samuel Hadas was appointed the first Israeli ambassador to Madrid. ^[14] Spain joined the EEC on 1 January. Soon after, the PLO representative office opened in Madrid “as evidence of Spain’s traditional friendship with the Palestinian people and as a tool to achieve a lasting, just and global solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict.” ^{[15] [16]}

In 2000, Spain lifted the veto on Israel’s entry into the under the UN as a constantly updated permanent full member, thus ending administrative uncertainty with Israel, since its membership in the Asian Group was not possible due to the large number of Muslim countries who blocked the application for entry. ^[17]

In October 2011, the Spanish Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia arrived in Israel on a two-day state visit to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and met with local scholars. ^[18]

In early October 2017, a referendum was held in Catalonia on the independence of this province from Spain. Its results caused a mixed reaction within the country and the ensuing political crisis. The Government of Spain has requested the Government of Israel not to recognize the results of the referendum and, possibly, the subsequent declaration of independence of the province. The Israeli government decided not to respond to this request: not to recognize the independence of Catalonia and not to reject it. This was done in order not to remain in the minority in the international arena, since most countries were in no hurry to recognize the independence of Catalonia in the event of its possible declaration, despite the fact that in Catalonia itself the percentage of residents supporting Israel is much higher than in the rest of Spain , and also despite many years of sharp criticism of the actions of the Israeli cabinet by the Spanish government in everything related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. ^{[19] [20]}

Many Israelis are Sephardic Jews, culturally associated with the Iberian Peninsula , from where Jews were expelled from the end of the 15th century. Many Israelis are also descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who were expelled from the peninsula before the events described. Some Israelis live in Spain today; there is a small modern community of Spanish Jews in the country. Many Spaniards are also descendants of marranes converted to Christianity, a recent study cites an estimated figure of 20%. ^{[21] The} Israeli newspaper Maariv notes that, according to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s own admission, his family is of Jewish origin, possibly from marranes. ^[22]

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic and cultural ties between Spain and Israel, the National Prado Museum in Madrid lent a picture of El Greco from the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. A special reception was held in the presence of the fifth president of Israel, Yitzhak Navon and Alvaro Iranzo Gutierrez, the Spanish ambassador to Israel. ^[23]

In 2010, bilateral trade reached € 1.69 billion, of which € 853 million was Israeli exports to Spain, and € 836 million was Spanish imports to Israel. Jose Ranero, economic and trade adviser at the Spanish embassy, ​​said he expects even more collaborative projects, especially in technology. ^[18]

Literature

• Hadas, Samuel. Un legado para la transición: Israel // La contratación bancaria / Enrique Gadea. - Librería-Editorial Dykinson, 2007 .-- ISBN 978-84-9849-046-6 .
• Hadas, Samuel. España e Israel: Quinientos años después // Política exterior. - Estudios de Politica Exterior, 1992-1993. - Vol. Vol. 6, Nº 30.
• Bautista Delgado, Juan. From Ostracism to a Leading Role: Spain's Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East Since 1939 // Palestine and International Law: Essays on Politics and Economics / Sanford R. Silverburg. - McFarland, 2009 .-- ISBN 978-0-7864-4248-5 .
• Mesa, Roberto. Democracia y política exterior en España. - Eudema, 1988 .-- ISBN 978-84-7754-022-9 .
• Álvarez-Ossorio, Ignacio. España y la cuestión palestina . - CYAM, 2003 .-- ISBN 978-84-8319-155-2 .