![]() ![]() ![]() In 2015, more than 500 years later, Spain offered Jews an apology by way of granting citizenship to Sephardic Jews around the world.ĭuring General Franco’s rule, fascist Spain, isolated by the West, was aligned with Arab states. In 1492, with the Alhambra Decree, Catholic monarchs expelled the Jewish population. To compare, the community in France, which is home to Europe’s largest Jewish minority, is about 500,000 people. ![]() Spain has only a small Jewish community of up to about 50,000 people, partly because of a historical hangover. Some analysts believe that Spain’s solidarity with the Palestinian cause may be rooted in its own history. Another factor is that in Spain, the left demonstrates more than the right.” Spanish history with the Arab world “The Spanish government is composed of parties which are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and not Israel. This is not the position of the European Union, therefore, it took a unilateral stance,” de Miguel told Al Jazeera. “Sanchez said Spain would be prepared to recognise an independent Palestinian state. Sanchez heads a minority left-wing government which includes the far-left Sumar and Podemos parties, which are outspoken in their support for the Palestinians. Josu de Miguel, professor of constitutional law at Cantabria University, described Spain as “sociologically, a pro-Palestinian country”. Meanwhile, marches in favour of the Palestinian people have been held in cities across Spain. The Spanish leader, who has also condemned Hamas for its assault, is the highest-ranking and most well-known European official to condemn Israel, joined only by politicians in Ireland and Belgium. Sanchez’s words prompted a swift response from Israel, which reprimanded the Spanish ambassador to Jerusalem and withdrew its own diplomat from Madrid. “What we are seeing in Gaza is not acceptable,” he added. Last week, as images of child victims and bombed-out buildings flooded social media, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said given “the footage we are seeing and the growing numbers of children dying, I have serious doubts is complying with international humanitarian law”. On Monday, Palestinian health officials said that about 70 percent of the victims were women and children. Israel says its military action in the densely populated strip is designed to crush Hamas, which the United States, United Kingdom and European Union consider a “terrorist” entity. A poster for Friday’s event in Guernica Īt least 15,900 Palestinians have been killed in less than two months of the latest episode of the Israel-Palestine conflict, which escalated when Hamas, the group which governs Gaza, attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 captive. The symbolic gesture is in line with Spain’s historic support of Palestinian rights, but comes at a tense time, as Madrid leads the few Western countries which are increasingly criticising Israel. “We have always felt sympathy for the Palestinians because we suffered under the dictatorship and have undergone a long conflict with the Spanish state and independence groups here,” Otxoa told Al Jazeera. ![]() That scene within the painting will be represented at Friday’s protest, said Igor Otxoa, spokesperson for the Guernica Palestine organisation. Piccasso’s large oil painting, named after the town, portrays extreme suffering, including an image of a crying mother holding her lifeless child. Guernica was bombed by the Nazi Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, killing scores of defenceless civilians as Germany supported General Francisco Franco’s Nationalist forces. Keep reading list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Spanish politicians who expressed sympathy for Palestine enrage Israel list 2 of 4 ‘Serious doubt’ Israel complying with international law: Spain PM Sanchez list 3 of 4 As Israel bombs Gaza, Ireland’s enduring support of Palestine gets stronger list 4 of 4 Spanish minister: Israel must end ‘genocide’ of Palestinians in Gaza end of list ![]()
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