Settlers enraged by Spanish FMs visit/re: Cave of the Patriarchs

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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...025656,00.html

Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiménez visited the West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday morning and was greeted by dozens of right-wing activists who called her an "anti-Semite", a "Jew hater" and a "villain".

The activists' leaders, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, said the European Union supported the establishment of a Palestinian neighborhood in the area, aimed at blocking Jews' access to the Cave of the Patriarchs. The Spanish minister refused to meet with them.

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Re: Settlers enraged by Spanish FMs visit/re: Cave of the Patriarchs

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=207276

Peres meets with Spanish FM ahead of visit to Spain

Trinidad Jimenez, Spain’s newly appointed foreign minister, arrived in Israel on Monday for a three-day visit to mark the beginning of 25th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Jimenez met with President Shimon Peres on Monday evening. She told Peres that Spain – especially former prime minister Filipe Gonzalez , with whom the president maintained close ties in the Socialist International – was looking forward to his arrival. Peres is scheduled to begin a five-day visit on February 21.

The two countries forged diplomatic ties on January 17, 1986, despite the unhealed, centuries-old scars of the Spanish Inquisition, which drove Jews out.

In March 1992, then-president Chaim Herzog travelled to Spain to mark the nullification of the edict of expulsion signed on March 31, 1492, by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. On the 500th anniversary of the edict, Herzog and King Juan Carlos attended prayers at a Madrid synagogue.

(cnav - I remember this, KJC was to visit Jerusalem, but his father took critically ill at the time and plans were changed and Herzog went to Spain. A few months later in May/92 the Jerusalem Covenant started its journey around the world for the signsture of Jewish leaders)

“We still have many things to do together,” she said.

Jimenez, who was in Washington two weeks ago discussing developments in the Middle East with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, was particularly keen to hear Peres’s views on what he anticipated would happen in the region.

She did not want to limit the discussion to peace endeavors between Israel and the Palestinians, but was much more interested in the wider picture.

She will discuss the same issues with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Opposition leader Tzipi Livni, whose last ministerial post was that of foreign minister.

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Re: Settlers enraged by Spanish FMs visit/re: Cave of the Patriarchs

So.......... Peres is soon off to Spain this month!

Peres has been the major force in Israel promoting a Palestinian State, so much so when Arafat was alive many joked he (Peres) must be working for the PLO.

Spain was the first EU counmtry to create an ambassador position for a PA State (in Nov).The King went to the Ibero-America summit in Argentina in Dec. afterwhich one by one the Spanish speAking countries have been stepping forth calling for a PA State.


Just interesting! Watching for the outcome of Peres' Spanish visit!