Catalan Justice Minister Reinforces Links with Israel

Catalonia has traditionally looked at Israel as a role model, a successful country rising from the ashes and succeeding through sheer hard work. From the recovery of Hebrew as a living language, to the turning of the desert into a market garden, including the high professional standards achieved by her Armed Forces, Catalans have always seen many lessons to be learned from Israel. This was true even when independence was seen by many as a distant dream. Now that it has become the majority option, there are even stronger reasons to reinforce links with Israel.

It thus came as no surprise to see a member of the Catalan Government take part in the celebrations of the 65^th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel.  On 21 April, Justice Minister Germa Gordo visited Hatikva School, in Valldoreix, where he participated in a number of events organized by the Jewish community. In his address, Gordo praised Israel for its capacity to develop new products and technologies in the most dynamic industries.  The justice minister explained that Israeli products and companies were competing in those sectors featuring the most advanced technologies, including communications, computing, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

Gordo stressed that, as a result, “is called a start-up nation, in reference to its capacity to create new enterprises with strong technological contents”. He pointed out that Catalonia was also seeking to become a start-up nation, “a country to invest if one is looking for progress, innovation, technology, and excellence”.  The minister did not just talk about the economy, but also referred to Israel in broader terms, while pointing out some characteristics shared with Catalonia. Gordo said that “neither the people of Israel was born in 1948, nor Catalonia with the 1978 [Spanish] Constitution”, adding that Catalonia is “more than what the laws say.  We are a country with a soul and a territory, perfectly identifiable among the peoples of the world”.

The celebrations also included a fair, which Gordo visited, taking the chance to taste some typical Israeli products. Uriel Benguigui, president of Barcelona-based Keren Hayesod Foundation, accompanied the minister.

Gordo’s visit is no isolated act. As the country moves towards a restoration of her sovereignty, Catalan leaders pay more and more attention to Israel, building on the traditional admiration towards that Nation. In addition, recent years have been witness to a significant growth in human and economic exchanges. Israelis are also increasingly likely to do business with Catalonia and visit the country as tourists. They have, for example, become the number one clients of the tourism industry in the West Catalan Pyrenees, surpassing the French and the Germans. More and more are also interested in discovering Catalonia’s rich Jewish heritage, clear in cities like Barcelona and Girona.

At the same time, the conflict between a Catalonia trying to break free and recover her sovereignty, lost in 1714 by force of arms, and a Spain obsessed with keeping her milking cow, is increasingly taking on the nature of a proxy war between democratic Israel and the constellation of tyrannies denying her right to exist. While Israeli diplomats enjoy good relations with Catalonia, the Palestinian “ambassador” to Madrid speaks out in public against Catalan independence. Despite her astronomical government deficit, Spain keeps pouring millions of US dollars into the Middle East, without any regard for the security of Israel. This financial support for the enemies of Israel goes hand in hand with unconditional, no questions asked, political backing for all sort of questionable actors bent on destroying the only democracy in the region. This is very important for terrorists, who in addition to weapons and money need political and psychological support to keep waging their bloody campaigns. Every applause, every gesture of complicity, every pat on the back, every public platform, for the enemies of Israel, pushes further back in time the goal of a peaceful and prosperous Middle East, with Israel safe in her borders. This is why the emergence of a serious, responsible, democracy at the other end of the Mediterranean, will without a doubt contribute to Israel’s national security, and that was, after all, the ultimate meaning of Gordo’s words.    

 

Alex Calvo is a Professor of International Relations and International Law, Head of the IR Department, and Postgraduate Research Director, European University (Barcelona Campus). An expert on Asian security and defence issues, he got his LLB from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London) and is currently doing an MA in Second World War Studies at the University of Birmingham. He is a former teaching and research fellow at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).