Presidents Conference Moves Closer to Taking Action Against Spain

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations today moved closer to taking action against the Spanish government for embracing Palestine Liberation Organization chief Yasir Arafat while continuing to bar diplomatic recognition of Israel. Presidents Conference constituents that operate overseas travel programs for their members met with Theodore Mann, Conference chairman, to discuss further steps following Mann’s confrontation last week with Spanish Foreign Minister Marcellino Oreja.

At that meeting, the Spanish official said Madrid might recognize Israel at some future time but not before Spain became a full-fledged member of the European Economic Community, scheduled for some time between 1981 and 1983 Mann replied that he was “shocked and dismayed” at this delay, which he called “totally unsatisfactory, ” and terminated the interview.

At the Presidents Conference meeting, attention focused on the role of Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez of Spain, regarded as the chief opponent of early recognition of Israel. Mann said it was “hypocritical” for the Spanish Prime Minister to permit Arafat to be “welcomed with such enthusiasm in Madrid” while Oreja was delivering a speech in the United Nations deploring terrorism.

“It is particularly ironic, “Mann said, “that Spain — a country which is experiencing a veritable epidemic of terrorist attacks by Basque and other irredentist groups — should have so warmly received the key conspirator of the international terrorist movement, Yasir Arafat while dragging its feet on recognition of Israel.” He pointed out that Spain was the only country in Western Europe that had no diplomatic relations with the Jewish State.

At the Presidents Conference meeting, several of the Jewish organizations that operate overseas travel programs reported a decline in bookings to Spain since Arafat was welcomed there. (See related story.)