Historic step against anti-Semitism in Spain

Historic step against anti-Semitism in Spain

  • The Madrid Assembly, (regional government of the main region in the country), has adopted formally the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, which clarifies in its examples that there are anti-Zionist activities and positions that are anti-Semitic.
  • The Assembly also demands that the national parliament adapt the legislation to exclude any possible grant and public aid to entities that promote anti-Semitic hatred thus defined.
  • This proposal to the government of the nation would effectively exclude public financing of any BDS group or activity in Spain.

The objective of the Proposed Bill emanated from the Madrid Assembly is to change current legislation to deny any public aid, contracts, or grants to entities that carry out discriminatory practices for reasons of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion, or any other personal or social condition or circumstance, especially insisting on anti-Semitism.

The initiative is the result of the exhortation of the European Union, which shows the existence of a serious problem of masked anti-Semitism. To stop it and fight against it the EU recommends every member state to adopt and apply the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism.

But the distinguishing fact of the project that makes it unique is that not only does it reflect the relevance of adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, but that it also includes the necessary legal modifications for hatred, open or masked, not to find harbour in the public space.

For said fight to be effective, not only against classical formulations, but also against new formats, it is necessary to end the public financing of organisations that support delegitimising campaigns, such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel), which not only seek to discriminate against those who support the Jewish state, but its companies, citizens, to sum up, the disappearance of the Jewish collective represented by Israel.

In ACOM we want to point out the firmness of the forces committed to the fight against anti-Semitism that with their positive vote have made possible the motion to prosper: beginning with the proposing party, Partido Popular (governing party in the Madrid region of the President of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso, a strong and committed defender of Israel), the Socialist Party (centre-left), and VOX (conservative). It is important to acknowledge their support to this historic initiative as the best bastion to fight a hatred that unites extremists of all condition.

On the opposite side, the extreme left forces have denied their support to the project, specifically the Bolivarian neo communists party financed by the Iranian regime Podemos and their political offshoot Más Madrid.

In ACOM we are satisfied for the success of the initiative, crafted after years of collaboration with different political parties with which we have been working closely and offering reliable information, both in Madrid and in the rest of the country. We reaffirm our will to continue working so this crucial determination adopted by the Madrid Assembly is repeated, not only in Spain, but also in the whole of the European Union.

ACOM has worked closely with the proponents of this legislative proposal, the legal department if the regional Parliament and the political groups that have supported the motion from the beginning of the last legislature over two years ago. We want to extend our thanks to all of those involved.

MORE INFO (IN SPANISH):

https://www.elespanol.com/espana/politica/20210923/podemos-vota-eliminar-subvenciones-entidades-fomenten-antisemita/614189515_0.html

https://a-com.es/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Copia-de-IHRA-SEPT-21.pdf

https://twitter.com/ACOM_es/status/1440984959326507009?s=20

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