Anti-Semitism in Spain rife in mainstream society, new report shows
A new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has documented widespread and growing anti-Semitism across mainstream society in Spain. The report, Polluting the Public Square: Anti-Semitic Discourse in Spain, (see link below), reveals a combination of traditional Judeophobic beliefs in the general population alongside extreme anti-Zionist modes of expression in the media.
Polling by the ADL this year showed 74 percent of Spaniards agreeing with the proposition that Jews have too much power in international financial markets, 56 percent saying they have too much power in the business world, 64 percent saying Diaspora Jews are more loyal to Israel than their own country and 42 percent saying Jews talk too much about the Holocaust.
Barely had the report been released when it was announced by Spain’s Housing Ministry that it had imposed a boycott on Israel’s Ariel University forbidding it from taking part in a biannual architectural and environmental competition to design solar powered housing. The boycott was imposed due to Ariel’s location on the West Bank and was justified with reference to European Union guidelines.
Spain, it should be remembered, still occupies parts of Morocco where, despite long standing protests from the Moroccan government, the Spanish occupied cities of Ceuta and Melilla remain under Madrid’s sovereignty. However, as I have said many times, an appeal to reason and logic may miss the point when engaging with anti-Zionist bigotry.
In more general terms, it is worth noting that there are only a few tens of thousands of Jews in Spain (30-40,000 by some estimates) meaning that anti-Semitic attitudes are likely to be culturally embedded rather than arising out of prejudiced opinions of Jews that ordinary Spaniards have actually met. Fanatical hostility to Israel in the media is also likely to be feeding such attitudes.
The ADL report highlighted the role of political cartoonists and columnists. Themes centring on the Jews as the chosen people, Israelis as Nazis and the malign influence of Jewish money were of particular concern.
In introducing the report its authors said:
“We start from the premise that not all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic. But demonization of Israel is. Equating Israel with the Nazi regime is. Attacking Judaism as the evil inspiration for Israeli policies is. These are not just ADL standards, but those of the European Union’s own racism watchdog, included in its working definition of anti-Semitism.”
To read the full report, click here:
To read a report on the Spanish boycott, click here:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1253198174466&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Tags: Israel
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
“64 per cent say Jews are more loyal to Israel than their own country”. The more they demonise Israel, the more Jews feel different from their fellow-citizens, the more they look to Israel as their real homeland, the more they get blamed for their divided loyalty. In this way, Jews get blamed, indirectly, for anti-semitism.
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:31 am
Frightening!!! I agree with your remark that this largely can be “culturally” embedded and inherited from generation to generation through centuries. Very sad indeed. Of course there are intelligent Spanish people - one of them is a friend of mine, and a sociologist to boot! - but unfortunately they are far from the mainstream. I know for a fact for example that a Spanish liberal online site linked to a local think tank institute is pro-Israel and pro-US.
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
“It is worth noting that there are only a few tens of thousands of Jews in Spain (30-40,000 by some estimates) meaning that such attitudes are likely to be culturally embedded rather than arising out of prejudiced opinions of Jews that ordinary Spaniards have actually met.”
As in Poland (in actual fact, Poland is a far more extreme example), anti-Semitism in the absence of Jews. A bizarre and ugly phenomenon.
“Fanatical hostility to Israel in the media is also likely to be feeding such attitudes.”
See this post by Robin Shepherd:
Top Spanish newspaper to run “expert” interview with Holocaust denier David Irving in WWII anniversary week
http://tinyurl.com/lmj8f6
“The ADL report highlighted the role of political cartoonists and columnists.”
Anti-Semitic cartoons at El Mundo and El Pais (see Page 17)
http://tinyurl.com/ndkaru
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
From an article at today’s Ynet:
Spain boycotts Ariel college for being on ‘occupied territory’
1) “The Spanish Housing Ministry disqualified Ariel University Center of Samaria from competing in the finals of the international competition between university architecture departments to design and build a self-sufficient house using solar power.”
2) The Ariel University Center reached the finals together with 20 other universities from around the world after two years of collaboration with the competition’s management and the Spanish government.
In this framework, the college was even awarded a 100,000 Euro grant by the competition’s organizers to build a model house for the final competition slated to be held in Madrid in June 2010.
The cancellation of the Israeli team’s participation in the competition was urged by an initiative put out by the group, Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine as a continuation of the academic boycott against Israel being led for quite some time by BNC - The Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Campaign National Committee.”
http://tinyurl.com/mtgc5b
From an article published on September 7, 2009 by the Jerusalem Post:
‘The Spanish are not anti-Semitic’
“The Spanish people are not anti-Semitic,” she [Delia Blanco Teran, president of the Spanish Socialist Party in the Madrid region] said. “And I don’t think that all journalism in Spain [covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict] is directed against Israel. The Jews lived alongside the Spanish for such a long time, and I think that a lot of the problems with Spanish attitudes toward Israel are based in a lack of understanding.”
http://tinyurl.com/lxv8dm
To paraphrase Robin Shepherd, do these people not engage their brains before they open their mouths? The Spanish are not anti-Semitic because the “The Jews lived alongside the Spanish for such a long time”? Oy vey!
September 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 am
I’m struggling to remember but didn’t Barcelona city council boycott Holocaust memorial day? I think their excuse was because of operation cast lead… Funny logic that one
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Maw, the Catalan government actually *cancelled* Holocaust Memorial Day, so did the regional government of Galicia.
The leaders of the Catalan parliament visited Israel a year or two ago - they walked away from a memorial ceremony for Yitzhak Rabin because the Israeli authorities, in all good faith, were flying a Spanish flag instead of the Catalan one.
As a British born Jew living in Spain I’m a daily witness to the biased reporting and intrinsic antisemitism which is part of the Spanish psyche.
Although, as the ADL report mentions, a foundation for the promotion of the Spanish language issued guidance to the media to the effect that substituting “Hebrew, Jewish or Israelite” for “Israeli” was wrong, just recently reports of a basketball match between Spain and Israel talked of the “Hebrew team”. When a few years ago Spain lost a basketball match to Israel one “journalist” made reference to the “perfidious Jews”.
A lone pro-Israel voice in the Spanish media is Pilar Rahola, her site has some of her articles in English:
http://www.pilarrahola.com
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:06 pm
“the Catalan government actually *cancelled* Holocaust Memorial Day, so did the regional government of Galicia.”
1) Catalunya cancels Shoah memorial ceremony over Gaza op - Published: 01.22.09
“Barcelona pulls public service marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day in protest of Israeli offensive in Strip. ‘Marking the Jewish Holocaust while a Palestinian Holocaust is taking place is not right,’ says official”
http://tinyurl.com/c4×4hj
2) ‘Palestinian Genocide Day’ instead of Holocaust Day - Published: 01.31.0
“Spanish town near Madrid decides to cancel international Holocaust Remembrance Day in lieu of ‘Day of Palestinian Genocide’. Last minute action by Israeli Embassy, Spanish officials leads town to cancel both”
http://tinyurl.com/nupnk6
3) And from an article produced by the Stephen Roth Institute
“Spanish demonstrators were among the most vociferous in Europe in accusing Israel of “genocide” and Nazism in protest against the war on Gaza. The largest demonstration in Europe took place in central Madrid on January 11, with the approval of the government party and the participation of its members. The Generalitat in Barcelona canceled a public candle lighting ceremony planned for Holocaust Memorial Day, January 27, 2009. The Barcelona Tribunal reduced the prison sentence of neo-Nazi Pedro Varela, handed down in 1998 for denial and advocacy of genocide.”
http://tinyurl.com/njbmd7
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
A little ironic that today in Spain 20% of the population have Jewish ancestry, descendants of the Conversos (Secret Jews).
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article5289283.ece
Let’s not forget that in the 1300’s Spain represented 90% of the the world’s Jewish population. Most fled rather than converting. Anti-Semitism has been inbred in their culture for centuries.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Just been put up at Ynet:
“Housing Ministry reiterates group of Israeli academics disqualified from solar power design competition in line with EU policy of opposing settlements. National Union of Israeli Students slams ‘irrelevant, faulty political motives’”
And I wonder what the US will have to say about this:
“The contest is sponsored by the US Energy Department, but Spain is hosting it in 2010 and 2012. ”
http://tinyurl.com/ya5grra
From an article in Wikipedia:
“Under 1977 amendments to the Export Administration Act (EAA), it is illegal for US citizens to participate in boycotts imposed by foreign countries that are not sanctioned by the United States.”
http://tinyurl.com/y9fdzjl
I wouldn’t imagine that the US Energy Department would want to break US law.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Joshua,
The USED has nothing to fear from the US administration as the Spanish are only doing what Barry and co would do if they could.
Mailman
September 24th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
OT: Sweden rescues Ahmadinejad…
Sweden: Ahmadinejad did not cross ‘red line’ with UN speech
‘Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not cross the “red line” that would have prompted a walkout by all EU states in his speech at the United Nations, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
“There were certain criteria set for when the EU would leave the room and those criteria were not fulfilled,” spokeswoman Cecilia Julin said.’
http://tinyurl.com/yabrl6k
September 24th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I call bullsh*t on the Spanish claim that the boycott is “in line with EU policy of opposing settlements”. I may be wrong, but as I understand it there are those in the EU who are in favour of strengthening commercial ties with Israel and there are those, evidently in favour of a boycott, Spain among them, but there is nothing in the EU documents that call for or authorise a boycott.
The current guidelines are available here:
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/israel/index_en.htm
The EU Declaration on Israeli settlements dated 08/09/2009 states:
“The European Union expresses its serious concern over Israel’s approval of additional settlement construction. Settlements are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace. The European Union reiterates its call on Israel to immediately end settlement activities, including in East Jerusalem and including natural growth, and to dismantle all outposts erected since March 2001.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.”
Nothing about a boycott, in fact the organisers of the boycott movement are disappointed:
http://www.badil.org/Publications/Press/2008/press484-08.htm
“No New EU-Israel Action Plan in April 2009!”
*
Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) calls for suspension the EU-Israel Association Agreement
*
100 European organizations pledge support
July 9 2008
On the fourth anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s ruling that Israel’s Wall is illegal, the BNC is calling on the EU not to upgrade its relationship with Israel and to suspend the EU Association Agreement until Israel comes into compliance with international law and Palestinian human rights.
In a statement, the BNC said:
“We are appalled by the EU’s blatant refusal to hold Israel to account for its persistent violations of human rights and international law … The EU is well aware of Israel’s ongoing illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the massive colonization of the latter; after all, the EU member-states have regularly voted for UN resolutions condemning Israel’s human rights violations, collective punishment and construction of settlements and the Wall.”
The BNC is calling on the EU to reverse the decision taken by the EU Association Council on 16 June 2008 to upgrade the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Israel has been in breach of Clause 2 of the agreement, which demands respect for human rights, since the treaty was signed in 1995.
Today’s call, which is supported by 100 European civil society organizations, is part of a growing movement to isolate Israel internationally through boycott, divestment and sanctions until it conforms to international law and human rights standards.
In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled the Wall to be illegal, and stated that parts already constructed should be dismantled and that reparations should be made for damages. It reminded all state parties to the IV Geneva Convention of their obligation to enforce international humanitarian law and advised them not to render any aid or assistance to the Wall and its associated regime. One year after the ICJ decision, on July 9 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a Unified Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and has received ever growing support from civil society globally.
ENDS
The EU’s policy towards Israel is quite the opposite of that claimed by the Spanish housing ministry!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and_the_European_Union
September 24th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The only reference I can find suggests that the EU/Israel trade agreement only requires that Israeli exports produced in the *disputed* territories be clearly labelled, as the EU will not give those products exemption from customs duties.
http://usacbi.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/eu-eyes-exports-from-israeli-settlements-2/
Spain lies: there is no EU guideline that sanctions an academic boycott of an Israeli university.
September 24th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Spain had better watch out. They’re first in line for the jihadists’ Caliphate, who want to return to the glory days of Moorish Spain. Yet they’ll miss defending themselves because they are worried about the non-existant Jews in Spain. Well, Spain will get what it deserves.
September 24th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Spain has always had a large anti-Semitic influence in its culture. This is the land of the Inquisition, after all. I remember as a kid seeing Nazi memorabilia openly sold in street markets.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Antisemitism is wrong and we should bless the nation of Israel. More info in this article:
http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/antisemitismiswrong.html
September 29th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
“I wouldn’t imagine that the US Energy Department would want to break US law.”
Whilst not suggesting that the decision actually contravenes US law, the ADL has now picked up on the general idea (perhaps they read Robin Shepherd’s blog!):
“The ADL urged the U.S. department to consider terminating its sponsorship of the solar power design contest should Spain decline to overturn its decision.
“We hope that the Department of Energy will make clear to its Spanish partners its strong disagreement with this decision,” the League said in a letter to Dr. Steven Chu, the U.S. Secretary of Energy.
The Jewish organization added: “If Spain does not permit the Israeli team to participate, consider withdrawing its sponsorship from the competition.” ”
http://tinyurl.com/y9pojyh