Today, unfortunately, Spain is front of mind. For those of you unfamiliar with Spain, imagine Puerto Rico without the charm and culture.  

Its prime minister, a corrupt demagogue named Pedro Sanchez, has governed without a budget for three years despite having stated on the record his belief that an inability to pass a budget should trigger elections. He will, however, not submit to elections because his popularity has cratered under the weight of repeated public corruption and bribery scandals that have weakened his socialist government, as well as popular discontent over rampant unregulated immigration. His closest political allies and family members are being investigated for corruption. He, in the unlikely event that he is not complicit, is undoubtedly aware of their guilt.

What to do? Change the topic. Like antisemitic despots of the past, blame the Jews. Pander to his socialist and immigrant base. Unlike his more accomplished Jew-hating predecessors, however, Sanchez’ choice of discrimination is totally in line with his meager intellect and his pedestrian character. His attack is purely performative, as devoid of substance as the man himself.  

He is boycotting Eurovision because Israel is competing. That’s right, Spaniards will not be able to watch a music competition because the sight of an Israeli performer would be too offensive.

And, even more puerile, on April 21, 2026 at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg, he will formally present a proposal to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the framework governing trade and political relations. Because adoption of such a proposal requires unanimity, there is no likelihood that it will be given effect, though Ireland, Slovenia, and some other haters will undoubtedly be giving the Nazi salute on the sidelines.  

How pathetic! And, sadly, how historically appropriate.

Recall that Spain has a long history with Jews.  It sponsored pogroms in 1391 that resulted in the murder and forced conversions of thousands of Jews; it adopted Limpieza de Sangre (“purity of blood”) statutes barring Jews, even those who had converted to Christianity, from offices, guilds, and universities; it tortured and burned Jews during the Inquisition; it expelled all its Jews in 1492; it denied its Jewish citizens passports that would have enabled them to escape Nazi death camps; it sent brigades (the Blue Division) to fight alongside the Wehrmacht. Spain adopted and institutionalized hereditary antisemitism that persisted for centuries.  You will not be surprised that the Spanish continued to torture and kill former Jews (conversos) for two centuries after the expulsion, persecuting long after no practicing Jews remained. There is a long history of scapegoating Jews, and Spain is not the only perpetrator.

And now, reductio ad absurdum, Eurovision and a meaningless political pantomime, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.  All to establish progressive bona fides and gain favor among the community that opposes America and hates Jews and Israel

What sort of pissant bigotry is this?  Has this worthless and contemptible politician no shame?  

Or perhaps, how fitting for a small-minded, blundering tub-thumper to strike out in petty ignorance against a country that has risen from the ashes to endure, survive, and excel. What else does the demagogue have in his half-witted arsenal other than meaningless gestures of hatred and envy?

Perhaps it is appropriate that in its flailing grasp for relevance, the Spanish government seeks approbation for prevailing over an Israeli singer and sponsoring a feel-good gesture pandering to anti-Semites.

The real tragedy is that there was once a brilliant Jewish presence in Spain that helped it shine before its light flickered and was extinguished over seven centuries ago.  In Muslim-ruled Spain between 900-1200 CE, Jewish culture flourished and made monumental contributions, holding high government positions (Hassdai ibn Shaprut, Shmuel ha-Nagid) and building influential centers of learning in Cordoba, Granada, and Toledo.  Maimonides was born in Cordoba.  Yehuda Halevi, ibn Gabirol and scores of poets, diplomats, physicians, scholars, and philosophers flourished.

The sad story of what happened gradually, as political and religious power shifted from Muslim to Christian rule, is beyond the scope of this article.  Suffice it to say that the progenitors of Pedro Sanchez needed a scapegoat.  After 1391, it was all downhill.  From Maimonides to Pedro.

After the Civil War, as a gesture of friendship to Hitler, Franco banned Jewish religious services, marked Jewish identity on documents, compiled a registry of Jews, refused to repatriate Spanish Jews living under Nazi occupation, essentially sealing their fates, and shut down Jewish organizations.  Even when Germany requested that Spain repatriate its Jews in 1943, Spain accepted only about 800 out of the roughly 4,000 eligible.

Like Sanchez, Franco was a collaborating toady and an anti-Semite.  But Franco was probably more ideologically honest.  Sanchez appears merely to be playing his despicable role to divert attention from his corruption and that of his family and colleagues.

One of the more irritating things about all this is that Spain, the champion of a Palestinian State, has resisted separatist efforts of the Basque and Catalan movements.  There is no time here to examine the parallels to Palestinians (other than to say that the claims to full autonomy in Spain appear far more valid), but you can go ahead and add hypocrisy to the very obvious pusillanimity.  Another infuriating insight into the Spanish government came when it spinelessly withdrew its forces from Iraq after suffering the horrendous Madrid terrorist attack in 2004.  Stand up to terror?  Hah!   It won’t even allow those combatting terror access to its air space.

Pedro Sanchez is a revolting human being who traffics in hatred and heartless manipulation.  He panders to the worst elements of his society and he deserves nothing but our disgust and disdain.  His actions demand response, but meaningful response is difficult; he has garbed himself in a cloak of smug self-righteousness that is impregnable to mere disapproval.

However–Spain maintains a comprehensive network of trade and investment offices in the United States, primarily through ICEX Spain Trade and Investment. The offices are located in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles.  A new trade office just opened in Boston.  Each of the states in which these offices are located has anti-boycott legislation.  Contact your favorite politician and tell them there is no place for these offices while their government is discriminating against Israel.  Or contact the offices yourself (the numbers are listed) and voice your displeasure.

Tell them:  Down with the Sanchez Inquisition.  No Eurovision for Israel–No Trade for Spain.  Spain out of NATO.  Lock Up The Sanchez Crime Family. End Sanchez Corruption.  Down With Pedro Torquemada Sanchez.  Generalissimo Franco was Enough; No To Sanchez.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)