In Spain, support for the Palestinian cause is a “long tradition”
Spain is once again defying the European trend by granting emergency aid to UNRWA. The country, which tries to make Palestinian aspirations heard within the European Union, is distinguished by solidly rooted support and a desire to play a role as a “
credible mediator
” within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas receives Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in the city of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on November 23, 2023. AFP - ALAA BADARNEH
By: Caroline Renaux Follow
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Madrid will grant emergency aid of 3.5 million euros to UNRWA. This was announced on Monday February 5 by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Alvarez, despite the
controversy targeting the UN agency for Palestinian refugees
since it revealed that it had dismissed twelve of its employees. accused of having participated in the October 7 massacre in Israel. Since then, 17 countries, led by the United States, Japan and Germany, have suspended their payments to the organization.
Spain
will not be one of them
.
“
We will not change our relationship with UNRWA
”, which is “
a United Nations agency essential to relieving the humanitarian situation
”, declared the minister before the Congress of Deputies. This support, which goes against the grain of most European countries, reflects the position that Madrid has adopted since the start of the Israeli response to the October 7 terrorist attack.
At the end of November, Pedro Sanchez described the number of Palestinian deaths as “
unbearable
”, in the presence of Benyamin Netanyahu. Pleading for a stable ceasefire and the organization of a peace conference, the head of the Spanish government asked him to “
work now to implement the two-state solution
”. During a speech in Madrid, the socialist leader also denounced “
the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians in Gaza
”.
Historical links with Palestine
Within a Europe divided on the issue, Spain shows itself to be concerned about the Palestinian cause and is committed to making it heard in Brussels. If its position is not unique within the Union – Portugal, Ireland and even Slovenia share a similar policy – it remains one of the most critical of Israeli military strategy in Gaza . According to Isaías Barreñada, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid, it stems from a “
long tradition of political relations
” with Palestine, with which Spain maintains a “
special relationship
”.
Historically, it was not until 1986 that Madrid established diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, while Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was received by Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez in 1979, with all the respect due to a head of government. “
Spain was one of the first countries to officially receive Yasser Arafat, to allow the PLO to have an official office in the country, or to establish cooperation agreements with the Palestinian Authority even before it is truly established
,” says Isaías Barreñada. Conversely,
the defects
of the Franco regime, a dictatorship allied with Hitler and installed in Spanish power from 1939 to 1975, have long pushed the Hebrew State to shun the bilateral relationship and to vote against the lifting of sanctions and the integration of Spain into the 'UN.
In response, Spain turned to Arab countries. “
The Franco regime, which was isolated internationally, developed a policy of diplomatic relations with the newly independent Arab countries in the second half of the 20th century
,” recalls Haizam Amirah-Fernández, analyst at
the Elcano Royal Institute
. “
It is the only country in the European Union to have a land border with an Arab country, Morocco, so the interests shared by its Mediterranean neighborhood are among the Spanish priorities
,” adds Isaías Barreñada, referring to the popular movements of solidarity that has erupted in the Maghreb since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel. At the same time, the professor points to the “
old religious relationship
” which links Spain to Palestine, with the “
presence of Christian religious people in historic Palestine
”.
Posing as a “
credible mediator
” in Gaza
Despite its numerous positions, Spain still does not formally recognize the Palestinian state, which nine member states of the European Union already do. However, in 2014, the Spanish lower house passed a symbolic motion calling on the conservative government to take this direction. Although this was not acted upon at the time, socialist leader
Pedro Sanchez
, who governs in coalition with the radical left Sumar,
recently called
for "
recognition by the international community and Israel of the 'State of Palestine
'.
The head of the Spanish government also indicated that ideally, this would take place at once with the participation of at least several Member States, specifying that "
if this is not the case, Spain will take , of course, his own decisions
.” According to Isaías Barreñada, “
Spain would prefer there to be European support, but is above all waiting for the United States to revise its position, to which the government is very attentive
”. However, even in the absence of the green light from Washington, the recognition of Palestine "
should not delay
", according to the expert, who specifies that it remains included in the coalition agreement with Sumar and that the "
pressures internal
” are maintained.
If it regularly attracts the wrath of Israel for its proximity to Palestine, Spain even dreams of establishing itself as a “
credible mediator
” within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 1991, the country hosted the Madrid Conference, the international community's first attempt to initiate a Middle East peace process. “
Spain wants to be a valid interlocutor and play a role in putting an end to the cycle of violence
”, analyzes Haizam Amirah-Fernández, who specifies that the country is not “
anti-Israel
”. An ambition which is not enough, for the moment, for all countries to sit around the table and agree. In December, the 27 appeared divided again in the vote for a ceasefire in Gaza: 17, including Spain, voted in favor of the resolution, two voted against and eight abstained.
Read alsoIsrael-Hamas war: the European Union suspends aid to the Palestinians, Spain in “disagreement”
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