Opinion

Spain’s foreign policy toward Israel is not merely inconsistent; it is a pathological fixation, cloaked in the language of justice but rooted in a selective animus that borders on the irrational. Madrid’s actions—ranging from unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state to trade sanctions and inflammatory rhetoric—reveal a government eager to condemn Israel for exercising sovereignty while suppressing similar aspirations at home. This double standard does not stem from principled application of international law but from a deeper inconsistency that exposes Spain’s fragility. By holding Israel to impossible standards of territorial compromise and self-restraint, Spain unwittingly invites scrutiny of its own national integrity, where regions like Catalonia and the Basque Country meet every criterion Madrid endorses for Palestinians. The irony is delicious: in its zeal to fragment others, Spain plants the seeds of its own unraveling. What follows is a dissection of this pattern, connecting Madrid’s domestic repression, economic opportunism, and anti-Israel fervor into an indictment of a state that preaches universality but practices hypocrisy.

The Racist Underpinnings: Antisemitism Masquerading as Anti-Zionism

Spain’s hostility toward Israel cannot be divorced from a rising tide of antisemitism within its borders, often fueled by government rhetoric and civil society initiatives that blur the line between legitimate criticism and ethnic targeting. In Catalonia, a region already simmering with separatist tensions, an online project dubbed “Barcelonaz” exemplifies this pathology. Launched by an anonymous collective of journalists, professors, and students, the interactive map publicly identifies 152 Jewish-owned businesses, Israeli companies, and multinational firms with ties to Israel, labeling them as part of a “Zionist economy.” Sectors range from arms manufacturing (e.g., Airbus, Indra) to education (e.g., the Hatikva Jewish school) and even kosher establishments, with users encouraged to submit additional “Zionist” targets for inclusion. The project makes no distinction between Jewish, Israeli, or global entities, framing them all as complicit in an amorphous threat.

This is not abstract activism; it is a digital scarlet letter, evoking historical boycotts of Jewish businesses that preceded darker eras. Jewish community leaders have filed formal complaints, arguing that the map stigmatizes based on religious affiliation and risks inciting discrimination, harassment, or violence. As one source combating antisemitism noted, “Barcelonaz is not a harmless map: it is an instrument of stigmatization that contributes to this climate of hostility and, directly or indirectly, invites discrimination against Jews and Israeli citizens, the boycott of their businesses, and even violence.” The initiative’s ties to broader anti-Israel sentiment are undeniable, amplified by left-wing groups and even members of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government coalition, particularly from the Sumar party, who have labeled Israel a “genocidal state” amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Such actions are not isolated; they reflect a pattern where Spain’s official positions normalize prejudice. By singling out Israel—a democratic state defending itself against existential threats—while ignoring comparable conflicts elsewhere, Madrid’s rhetoric fosters an environment where “anti-Zionism” serves as a thin veil for antisemitism. This is not conjecture; it is evidenced by increased demonstrations, graffiti, and boycott campaigns in Spain since 2024, often unchecked by authorities. Rational observers must connect these dots: when a government weaponizes international law against one Jewish state while domestic initiatives target Jewish entities, the result is not justice but a revival of age-old biases, repackaged for modern applause.

Selective Self-Determination: Principle Abroad, Repression at Home

Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state on May 28, 2024, was heralded as a commitment to self-determination and international law. Yet this “moral seriousness” crumbles under examination of Madrid’s domestic record. In 2017, Catalonia’s independence referendum was met not with dialogue but with brute force: police batons, seized ballots, and criminal prosecutions that sent elected officials to prison or exile. The Spanish Supreme Court ruled the vote itself illegitimate, not merely flawed. Amnesty International documented excessive policing and prosecutions, highlighting a state prioritizing control over expression.

The Basque Country fares no better. Post-ETA, autonomy is confined to Madrid’s unilateral boundaries, with political aspirations treated as threats rather than legitimate discourse. Spain dismisses comparisons, claiming Catalonia and Basque issues are internal constitutional matters, while Palestine involves occupation and sovereignty denial. This distinction is illusory. Madrid endorses Palestinian statehood without agreed borders, unified governance, or Israeli consent—criteria it demands rigidly at home.

Catalans and Basques possess distinct languages, historical continuity predating modern Spain, territorial concentration, and sustained electoral support for independence—mirroring the “legitimate aspirations” Spain attributes to Palestinians. Madrid’s constitution, amended swiftly in 2011 for EU fiscal demands, proves flexible when convenient. The obstacle is not legality but power.

This hypocrisy extends globally. Spain refuses to recognize Kosovo (independent since 2008), Kurdistan (93% independence vote in 2017), or Somaliland, yet champions a nonexistent Palestinian state. Why? The pattern suggests animus toward Israel, not fidelity to principle. As one observer notes, this selective recognition undermines Spain’s coherence.

Economic Opportunism: Sanctions as Theater

Spain’s anti-Israel posture peaks in its economic measures. In September 2025, Madrid enacted a ban on military and dual-use trade with Israel via Royal Decree-Law 10/2025, targeting products from West Bank settlements, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem, and imposing a two-way arms embargo. Sánchez framed it as a response to “genocide in Gaza,” aiming to isolate Israel and trigger an EU “cascade” of similar actions. The law requires origin declarations for imports and bans advertising settlement properties, leading to the removal of 138 vacation rental ads.

Yet resolve evaporated by December 2025. The cabinet exempted Airbus, citing “essential” Israeli technology for production lines, exports, and jobs in Seville and Madrid. This carve-out—preserving 60% of Spain’s air and defense exports—exposes the ban as performative. Morality yielded to economics, confessing that indignation is negotiable when it threatens Spanish interests.

Sánchez’s September 2025 remarks on Spain’s lack of nuclear weapons or carriers as “limitations” on halting Israel drew accusations of militarized threats. Such language from a NATO ally reeks of recklessness, calibrated for domestic cheers but revealing a deeper pathology.

Holding Spain to Its Own Standard: The Inevitable Fragmentation

Spain’s criteria for Palestinian recognition—historical justice, legitimate aspirations, and peace without preconditions—cannot be quarantined abroad. Applied domestically, they mandate reevaluation of Spain’s regions, condemning Madrid through its own logic.

– Catalonia: Distinct Catalan language, medieval principality history, pro-independence majorities, and economic viability align with Palestinian “aspirations.” Suppression contradicts Spain’s “urgent necessity” for resolution.

– Basque Country (Including Navarre): Unique Euskara, pre-Roman governance, EH Bildu’s sovereignty advocacy, and post-ETA coherence mirror Palestinian claims. Madrid’s limits echo denounced imbalances.

– Galicia: Celtic Galician roots, medieval kingdom, BNG’s gains, and territorial cohesion qualify under “historical justice.”

– Canary Islands: Guanche heritage, geographic separation, and recent protests evoke aspirations; archipelago status parallels fragmented viability.

– Valencian Community and Balearic Islands: Catalan ties, Crown of Aragon roots, and fringe unity calls demand consideration.

– Fringe Areas (Aragon, Andalusia, Asturias, León, Cantabria): Regional identities like Leonesism meet diluted criteria, though support varies.

– Ceuta and Melilla: Multicultural but loyal; Morocco’s claims highlight selective sovereignty.

This is no call for breakup but a logical extension: Spain’s doctrine obligates universal self-determination or exposes expediency. Analogous to arguments for African fragmentation—where colonial borders suppress peoples while states like South Africa champion Palestine—Spain’s stance invites its own dissolution. The schadenfreude lies here: in demonizing Israel, Spain crafts a precedent that erodes its unity, proving that selective hate is a boomerang.

Spain does not project strength; it advertises frailty. By weaponizing principles abroad while criminalizing them at home, Madrid invites the very fragmentation it fears. The pattern—antisemitic undertones, economic flip-flops, and rhetorical excess—forms a damning whole. Rationality demands consistency; Spain offers none.

Grant Arthur Gochin is a diplomat, journalist, and Wealth Advisor. He focuses on historical accountability and Jewish continuity. He serves as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Togo and is the Emeritus Special Envoy for Diaspora Affairs of the African Union, representing all fifty-five AU nations. He is Emeritus Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps. His philanthropic work in Togo led to his investiture as Chief of the Village of Babade.

Gochin has spent many decades documenting and restoring Jewish life in Lithuania, including leading the Maceva Project, which mapped and preserved dozens of abandoned and desecrated Jewish cemeteries. He exposed the Lithuanian Government’s state-sponsored Holocaust revisionism and contributed to global recognition of the systematic manipulation of historical memory. His book Malice, Murder and Manipulation (2013) traces his own family’s destruction in Lithuania.

A consistent advocate against contemporary and prior antisemitism, antizionism and other bigotries, Gochin writes and speaks internationally on the political uses of history and the necessity of historical integrity for Jewish survival. His journalism confronts governmental misinformation and disinformation campaigns. He maintains a firm position regarding Israel’s legitimacy and security as grounded in historical evidence and collective survival.

Professionally, Gochin is a Certified Financial Planner and Wealth Advisor based in California. He holds an MBA earned with academic distinction and leads Grant Arthur & Associates Wealth Services.

Gochin lives in Los Angeles with his husband, son, and his dog, named Kelev. https://www.grantgochin.com