Spain recognizes Israel as Jewish homeland, for first time

[bemildred]

Spain’s Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez presented a new policy for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Saturday, declaring Israel as the homeland of the Jews for the first time and saying that the issue of Palestinian refugees should be solved in such a way that it does not compromise Israel’s current demographic makeup of a Jewish majority.

Jimenez’s speech before the United Nations General Assembly is particularly dramatic in light of the fact that Spain is considered the leading EU country to support Palestinian rights. Adopting such a pro-Israel stance may lead to other countries to follow suit.

The foreign minister stressed Spain’s commitment to Israel “as the embodiment of the project to create a homeland for the Jewish people.” She recounted how since Israel’s inception, it has suffered through many wars and terrorism against its people, adding that Israel’s security is a top priority for Spain.

Jimenez called for the establishment of a Palestinian state along 1967 lines, with agreed swaps and Jerusalem as a shared capital with Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/spain-recognizes-israel-as-jewish-homeland-for-first-time-1.386587

[Harmony Blue]

1. This is an important step for the two state solution

but it could be argued it may undermine the possibility of a one state solution. Anyways, this is is a positive development for all involved.

[bemildred]

2. It's interesting. nt

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Reassurance isn't too bad a tactic...

It'll be interesting to see if Germany's swayed by this...

Anyway, I'm starting the countdown to how long it'll be before this is forgotten and someone writes an article about how antisemitic Spain is after it criticises Israel at some point in the future ;)

[bemildred]

4. Yes, it has possibilities.

I was wondering what would be done with this one, it cuts across dogmas, somewhat.

Edit: compare with the Norwegian statement.

[bemildred]

5. Maybe this will mean Israel can finally negotiate Peace with Spain.

:-)

[aranthus]

8. Or at least more Tapas bars in Tel Aviv. n/t

[vminfla]

10. I did not know Spain was at war with Israel

Did I miss a memo?

[King_David]

14. Well since the Inquisition theres no Jewish lobby left

Maybe there will be a Jewish revival , like in Berlin.


'The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion) was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain (Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon) ordering the expulsion of Jews from the Kingdom of Spain and its territories and possessions by 31 July of that year.<1>

The edict was formally revoked on 16 December 1968,<2> following the Second Vatican Council. Today, the number of Jews in Spain is estimated at 50,000.<3> '



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra_decree

[bemildred]

17. No. no. Spain has never had a problem with anti-semitism. nt

[Ken Burch]

25. Well, they have had, but only when the Christians were running the place

The best time to be a Jewish person in the Iberia Peninsula would have been in the days of Al-Andalus.

[bemildred]

27. Sorry, forgot the sarcasm smiley.

Spain had big problems with anti-semitism once the Moors were kicked out. Convert or die kind of problems.

[Ken Burch]

28. Sort of like the kind of problems The Last Days would cause(if the "pro-Israel" evangelicals

REALLY got their way).

Didn't mean to jump on you in response to that.

[aranthus]

7. Interesting, but not really necessary.

What's necessary is reassurance from Palestine and the Arab/Muslim world. And when has anyone said that Spain was antisemitic? Okay, I've never been to Spain . . . Seriously, the "they call everyone who criticizes Israel antisemitic" distraction gets old.

[vminfla]

11. Maybe it was the right thing to do

Maybe the Spanish Government found it necessary.

[aranthus]

13. I don't have a problem with it.

Maybe the Spanish government thinks that the show of support will lead the Israeli government to make a move in the right direction. If it does, I'm all for it.

[vminfla]

21. Maybe the action will have unforseen consequences

Maybe the move by the spanish government will lead the arabs to resume ngotiations with Israel.

[shaayecanaan]

22. I'll have to check the archives...

but I'm pretty sure that they have been accused of it on this forum in the past - I remember an article about Barcelona if I'm not mistaken. On this forum, just about everybody is a Nazi apologist eventually - Arabs, environmentalists, leftists, the list does go on.

[bemildred]

23. Something about a judge, wasn't it?

Investigating something. I thought about going looking for it, but decided I didn't care enough to put the time in. But any way, I'm sure the inquisition came up.

[shaayecanaan]

24. I remember Shimon Peres saying that the English are anti-semites...

but I can't specifically remember the Spanish article, yes it may have been about a judge though.

I think the list of anti-semitic nations includes the UK, France, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and I think for some reason Belgium came up somewhere, I can't remember why. Of course all the leftists in all the other European countries would be anti-semites as well. So we would have almost 90% of the European continent right there.

Of course, it goes without saying that everyone on this forum is an anti-semite.

I am still not sure about Mars. While I understand that NASA's Mars Rover has yet to find intelligent life I still feel compelled to put in the anti-semitic category, just to be sure. Its probably the colour, I suppose.

[Ken Burch]

29. It's in the interest of any Israeli prime minister or cabinet minister

to create the impression that antisemitism is as widespread as possible. They're STILL trying to panic the Diaspora into making mass aliyah.

If Peres or Bibi or Tzipi Livni were to admit the truth(which is that antisemitism is no more prevalent than any OTHER form of bigotry) they'd be giving up the biggest argument for both Zionism AND the hardline security regimen in the Territories.

[Ken Burch]

26. Fine then-just admit that nobody who criticizes Israel in this forum is an antisemite

(other than the occasional wackjob that we all get together and chase away forthwith, obviously)

Given that it happens to be the truth, that's not asking much-nor is it asking too much to admit that opponents of the Occupation and the settlements here and among the vast majority of the European and American Lefts are not using "code".

[bemildred]

9. Orwell:

"Political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible ... All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia."

[King_David]

12. Good analysis

:eyes:

[Violet_Crumble]

15. Yeah, it's a big step up from rolling eyes emoticons n/t

[bemildred]

18. You had best leave comedy to the comedians. nt

[King_David]

19. I could not have said it better

Thanks .

[bemildred]

20. You did not say it better, thanks. nt

[chrisrushlau]

6. this gesture reminds me of European weakness

Weakness is where you can't determine if the gesture is favorable or unfavorable to Palestinian rights. It's unfair to blame one person for a set of political elites, but Catherine Ashton is a frequently seen embodiment of EU foreign policy weakness, although Mr. Rasmussen of NATO, despite his people actively killing people (for no particular reason), is another reminder.
If another Yugoslavian-breakup occurred today in Europe, would the EU be able to do anything (to put out the blaze in its village, as cartoons presented the crisis at the time) or would it have to wait for the US?
Let's assume nothing has changed, and that these EU gestures (as a body and from member states) about Palestine simply reflect US pressure. So, who cares?
Probably the thing to bank on is that these gestures inflame European public opinion to finally have that social revolution they've been promising themselves for five hundred years, where the majority quits acting like they're children and the elite is the parent. That scenario only works in a make-believe village.

[vminfla]

16. Sooooo.

So Spain having something positive to say about Israel will result in the balkanization of the EU?