Spain needs to remember the Inquisition

You would think that the country, whose dark history includes burning Jews at the stake for the crime of not forcibly converting to Catholicism, would do everything in their power to, never again, come against the Jewish people.

Sadly, they are taking the same path, leading to the vilification of the same group they either exiled or murdered just some 500 years ago. For a start, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez has made the outrageous claim that “Israel is exterminating a defenseless people by bombing hospitals and “killing innocent boys and girls with hunger.”

As a consequence, all arms trade between Israel and Spain has been cut off. In addition, Spanish ports and airspace, for the purpose of fuel and weapons transfers to the IDF, is off limits. No imports from settlements will be permitted. And, predictably, the Prime Minister has also forbidden entrance to his country for anyone involved in what he refers to as a genocide.

He offers no evidence to back his claims of genocide and starvation? Instead, the damning accusations have been hurled like an explosive hand grenade, meant to do its damage. 

Since Spain is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) it would mean that any IDF soldier, who has served or is presently serving in this war, would be in jeopardy of being arrested, were he to visit the country. But, putting military members aside, why would any Israeli citizen want to vacation in a country that accuses them of being monsters, capable of perpetrating a genocide?

Amusingly enough, the lack of hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists may be a welcomed relief for Spaniards who have often complained of too much tourism to popular destinations, such as Barcelona.

Nonetheless, it’s interesting that Sanchez would be willing to forego all diplomacy and go the nuclear route, ready to cut off all ties with the Jewish state. Could it be a deflection from his own scandals, leading him to get a new conversation going?

It was reported in July that “the latest corruption scandal surrounding Spain’s government is the most damaging yet to Prime Minister Sanchez.”

There are allegations of the awarding of public contracts in exchange for kickbacks.  Sanchez’s socialist government seem to be up to their necks with accusations of bribery and corruption charges. Ironically, the prime minister came into power in 2018 when his predecessor was voted out for much of the same thing.

In fact, Sanchez’s wife, “Begoña Gómez, was recently indicted on charges of embezzlement of while working at Madrid’s Complutense University where funds were diverted from public resources for her benefit.”

Is it any wonder that Sanchez has cleverly taken off the focus on his own sins to the fabricated sins of Israel?

There’s only one problem with that. By defaming Israel, accusing her of wholesale killing, although blatantly false, proven by so much well-documented evidence, his noxious contentions only serve to further undermine Sanchez’s credibility.

As massive truckloads of food are constantly being shipped into Gaza and warning leaflets are air-dropped, urging locals to leave areas about to be targeted, just those two things testify to the fact that charges of a genocide are nothing more than malicious lies.  

Sanchez, embroiled in so much scandal, both through his cabinet and personally, would do well to leave Israel out of the equation. In fact, he should do some needed research on the dark days of Spain’s former leaders, whose virulent anti-Jewish attitudes were responsible for an enormous negative impact on their country.

The atmosphere was such that fear was rampant, as a culture of persecution took over. It was a dreadful period which harmed nearly every segment of Spanish society, from universities, to the economy, to the loss of great minds who could have helped to develop industry and bring advancement of every type.  

Instead, they suffered exile due to the prevailing religious intolerance at that time. Tens of thousands of Jews were accused of crimes, resulting in their public humiliation and torturous deaths. That intolerance even spilled over to others, including some Protestants and Catholics who were accused of heresy and subsequently arrested. 

In the end, those dark days brought a curse upon their country. Beginning in the year 1478 and finally ending around 1834, it took some 356 years to overcome one of the worst periods in history. That stain, upon the nation, has never been forgotten.  

Now, we, yet again, see Spain’s present leader come out strongly, this time against the Jewish state, in an attempt to isolate them as the world’s pariah. According to Ynet and a few other media outlets, they have even threatened to pull out of the 2026 Eurovision competition if Israel participates.

In short, they are seeking the expulsion of Israel from normal society, just as they did 500 years ago to their Jewish population. History is repeating itself in ways no one, in their wildest dreams, could have ever imagined. 

How long will it be before all Israelis are unable to step foot in Spain? How will this impact the Israeli Embassy in Spain? We are watching a complete diplomatic disintegration in real time.  Will other nations will follow suit?

In the midst of all this upheaval and uncertainty, one thing can be stated with absolute assurance. If Spain continues to go down this ill-advised path, rejecting those who are fighting against the threat of global terrorism, referring to them as the criminals, it will not go well for them.

Spain, led by its president Pedro Sanchez, will be taking on the ugly blemish of its predecessors, heaping upon themselves the same transgressions which nearly destroyed their nation. But then that has proven to be true about every people who have turned against the Jews who tried to live peaceably among their neighbors.

As we approach the days of soul-searching, in accordance with the Jewish calendar, Spain would be well-served to undergo their own needed accountability to avoid the mistakes of the past and clean up the rot from within before they point the finger of guilt on anyone else!