Every so often and apropos of nothing in particular El País feels obliged to vomit up a gut full of hatred for Israel.  Today’s edition runs an editorial titled “The Israeli Quasi-theocracy”.

It characterizes Israel as being “territorially gluttonous”, of hiding its real motives and being run by a military-theocratic government which bases its policies on the contents of the Bible.  It also accuses Ariel Sharon, of all people, of advocating and practising a policy of never ceding an inch of territory to the Palestinians.

Argument is obviously wasted on such a text so I won’t offer any. I’ll just mention that:

1.

In 1979 the Spanish state signed and ratified a treaty with the Vatican binding it to provide financial support for the Roman Catholic Church, a commitment it complies with to this day. No such support is provided for other religions.

2.

Juan Carlos 1, the constitutional monarch of Spain, and his family all ostentatiously practise the Roman Catholic faith. Article 57 of Spain’s constitution establishes that the current monarch will be succeeded by his descendants in perpetuity.

3.

Many state occasions in Spain, such as the funerals of members of the security forces murdered by terrorists, continue to be imbued with Roman Catholic ritual.

4.

Crucifixes continue to hang on the walls of public schools. No such privilege has been extended to the symbols of other faiths.