The year 1492 is known to Americans as the year Columbus “discovered” America. In Jewish history, it marks the start of the first ethnic cleansing of Jews in history, which took place in Spain. During WWII, Spain was given a chance to right the horrendous wrong of this ethnic cleansing. They could save descendants of the Jews they had cleansed. They declined and let many thousands of Jews be murdered. In 2024, Spain was again given the opportunity to support Israel now that Jews are again facing an existential threat, but they chose instead to support the creation of a protected UN sovereign run by a terrorist organization committed to Israel’s annihilation.

When most think of the Spanish Inquisition, they think of Spain settling a score with their Muslim conquerors. But more Jews were banished than Muslims, despite their not having conquered anything. Instead, they had lived peacefully and productively in Spain for 800-1100 years and were as Spanish as anyone in Spain (barring occasionally being massacred). Still, they were guilty of being Jews, and between 200,000 and 300,000 Jews were expelled.

Of those that survived, most would spend time in North Africa under the Maghreb and in the Muslim Ottoman Empire before that became uncomfortable in the 19th century. These Spanish Jews became known as the Sephardic Jews.

At a meeting in 1940, Hitler gave Spanish Prime Minister Franco to the chance to redeem Spain’s reputation for antisemitism by offering to spare “Spanish Jews” in Europe by allowing them to relocate to Spain. Franco declined the offer:

The Spanish government has decided not to allow, for any case, the return to Spain of Spaniards of the Jewish race who live in territories under German jurisdiction… The Spanish government would be willing in some cases to grant a transit visa for Spain for Jews with an entry visa for Portugal or the United States. In all other circumstances, the Spanish government will abandon the Jews with Spanish nationality to their fate.

Tens of thousands of Spanish nationality Sephardic Jews found a fate of death. Spain also handed over to the Nazis the identity of thousands of Spanish Jews during the time Germany and Spain were negotiating Spain’s becoming part of the Axis powers.

When Hitler was defeated, Franco’s regime began destroying evidence of collaboration with the Nazis and rewriting the history of Jews in Spain. Like many WWII histories, Spain’s history focuses on providing refuge for Jews, and there was some of that. But portraying Spain as a leader in the fight against genocidal antisemitism is like portraying the KKK as a social club. Spain’s recent decision to recognize a “State of Palestine” makes its historical whitewashing even more ridiculous.

Nevertheless, within Spain itself, popular opinion is on the government’s side: 78% of Spaniards support a speedy recognition of Palestinian statehood. That’s nearly the same percentage of people in Gaza and the West Bank who supported Hamas’ actions on October 7th. Who needs leaders when you have popular opinion?

Currently, popular opinion in the U.S. is more difficult to assess. In March, per a Gallup poll, a majority disapproved of what Israel was doing in Gaza. However, in May, per a Harvard-Harris poll, almost 80 of voters supported Israel over Hamas, with 74% supporting Israel’s actions in Rafah. It’s hard to reconcile the two numbers, and that vast discrepancy should leave Israel’s supporters worried that Gallup, rather than Harvard-Harris, may have its fingers on the pulse of American attitudes.

After all, the Nazis had popular opinion on their side too. Only God will be able to help America if our government yields to an immoral popular opinion on Israel and the Jews, following the path of Germany, Spain, and the residents of Gaza and the West Bank.

Image: The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain by Emilio Sala Francés (1889). Public domain.