I was disturbed when I read in the Jerusalem Post on Sep 22, that an Israeli University had been disqualified from a Solar Decathlon, held every two years. The contest was being held by the Spanish Housing Ministry, in which students built solar power houses and competed on efficiency. Ariel University, because they are located on the wrong side of the Green Line, were not permitted, at last minute, to take part in the event, in contingency with the European Union guideline for "occupied territories."
The Israeli team actually had a grant of 100,000 Euros and worked very hard on their "stretch house" idea, influenced by the "tent of Abraham". They received a letter saying, "We would like you to know that an Israeli university would always be welcome to participate in this competition.However, the fact that your center is actually located in the occupied territories, and being obliged to respect the European Union position in relation to this matter, we are forced to inform you that the continuation of your center in this competition will not be possible as from this date on. As much as we regret this situation, we have no alternative but to observe the European Union political guidelines as far as occupied territories are concerned.
The contest itself is held by the US Department of Energy and has until now, taken place in Washington. This is the first time a Jewish institution has been barred from competing. The students are hurt, the university is hurt, Israel is hurt and so is energy technology.
I have always admired Spanish culture: its cuisine, music and art. Salvador Dali, the surrealist in 1968 published 25 lithographs entitled "Aliyah", to commemorate the foundation of the modern State of Israel. The Cubism of Pablo Picasso and the abstraction of Joan Miro, has always reflected to me, something antithetical to a Papal Inquisition state, at least; and this experimental Spanish art was highly criticized by Hitler's Germany, though it seems no lesson has been learned. Apparently its great artists do not define the Spanish spirit. Could it be that their notable weirdness is a lashing out against some aspect of Spain's culture? An aspect that may have been responsible for ethnic cleansing in the form of inquisitions, or the slave trade; or colonizing and occupying at one time or another, much of the world. How about internal Fascism and cruel dictatorships in the last century? Or the violent terrorism of the supremist Basque faction?
It is so odd that such scientific visionaries as Nicolas Copernicus and Galileo Galilei, who both proved correct their Heliocentric theories, which opposed the theories of Pythagoras and Ptolemy of Ancient Greece, held by the Catholic Church, that the sun revolves around the Earth – were both forced to keep quiet about their discovering the truth, in fear of the Inquisition. Actually the Vatican rejected Copernicus's theory until 1835. So while this is not Spain, it is the same Catholic Church; and as for the years of inquisition, in which Spain was the most infamously involved, mankind has arguably never seen the likes of such evil and folly. And it was not until 1834, that the Spanish Inquisition was finally abolished.
Because the issue involving Ariel University is one of science, let us not forget to mention, the pre-Inquisition Jewish contributions to the world of science in this kingdom. Before the Moorish invasion, Christian Spain employed countless Jewish physicians and astrologers. It is also ironic that Spain, the land, as a source of knowledge and innovation, never achieved the heights which it did under Muslim rule; which is when Jews were tolerated.
Without addressing the Middle East conflict, let's first have a look at injustice towards Jews, at the hands of Spain. In defense of calling this slanted to favor the Jewish state, it at least is chronologically justified, on a historical graph.
In the 7th century, during the early era of the Catholic Church, Spain deemed our religion, "Crypto-Judaism", despite Jewish residence on its borders, pre-dating the Roman Empire. The Eight Council of Toledo in 653, banned Jewish rites such as the observance of Shabbat and Circumcision. The Twelfth Council in 694, was the first time forced Baptism was introduced on the Sephardic population.
The treatment of Jews in early Catholic Spain was so unjust, that when the Moors invaded, the Jewish population obviously fought alongside the Muslim invaders. Of course this makes Spanish support of anti-modern Jewish Israel, in the name of Islamic interests, questionable if not hysterically ironic. We may hi-light this hypocrisy by the continuation of a short history of Jews in Spain.
When the Crusaders took Spain back in 1212, Jews were murdered, robbed and forced to wear yellow badges. Jews could not build synagogues, nor associate with Christians. In 1355, 12,000 Jews were murdered in Toledo, 4,000 in Seville and in Cordoba 2,000. These massacres made no distinction with regards to gender or age and included the burning of factories, homes and synagogues. After the smoke had cleared, the "Papal Bull" continued. Foolishly, Jewish ghettos were burned down and Jewish money was not accepted. At one point, money owed by gentiles to Jewish money-lenders, was cut in half by the Spanish authorities.
Shortly after this era, the whole kingdom began to suffer financially; much of the country was reduced to poverty, perhaps, at least partially as a result of the foolish anti-Semitism. Ferdinand and Isabella finally issued the expulsion of the Sephardic Jews on March 31, 1492. The Jews left that year in July, one day before the 9th of Av.
That this same Spanish kingdom "occupied" the Americas and dominated the slave trade, all over the world, also does not go ignored. Nor does the animosity between the Basque and Catalonian populations, in which violence has been witnessed at the hands of the Basque Separatist Organization, the ETA, which was formed in 1959 and carried out its last attack as late as 2007; it has always sought to oppress Catalonian autonomy, in their own region. Many have found this offensive; and then it is only natural that we will question Spain's finger pointing at Israel -- claiming that it is a matter of a lack of humanity, when it is in fact a matter of an Israeli gift to humanity and a matter of science.
What seems obvious to me, in the wake of the tragic 2004 Madrid train bombing by Al Qaeda, is three main points. One, Spain is intimidated by Islam – terrified to the core. Two, Spain, amidst years of internal unrest, has an insecure self-image, as far as it is perceived by the European community; and thirdly that Spain's anti-Semitism, towards Jews, is rooted in nothing but deep jealousy; this is on account of the artistic, philosophical, scientific, medical and theological contributions of the Jews to Spain, while under Muslim rule, during what is called the "Golden Age" of Sephardic Jewry.
Would Ariel University have been able to participate in the contest had Spain not been the host? Only G-D knows. What we know is that before being disqualified, the Israeli team had shown impressive advancements in their preparations. We also know that Prof. Pascal Rolette, Dean of the School of Architecture in Grenoble, France, said in a letter to Ariel University, “I do not agree with the Spanish decision, because the activity of Ariel University is designed towards academic excellence on behalf of peace. Accept my utmost support in this difficult situation." So the overall European academic consensus does not necessarily agree.
I insist that the Jewish nation has a right to the land known as Semaria. This is a G-D given right; as well as political right in that impossibly high Roman taxes and Christian crusaders and every other factor in between, sent the Jews of this area away from their homes, just within the last one to two thousand years. Not to mention that our nation's Patriarchs are buried in the region. How is it any different from any other part of Israel, as a Modern Jewish State? I'll never understand. Is not Spain the homeland of the Spanish? None the less, this Zionist will keep the printed Joan Miro abstraction hanging above the sofa in his living room -- because it is interesting artwork.
