Spain Sets Up Diplomatic Ties to Israel

Spain established full diplomatic relations with Israel today--a step it avoided for 38 years for fear of offending its Arab neighbors--and balanced the move with a call for the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Middle East peace talks.

Foreign Ministry officials from Israel and Spain signed the agreement at a secret meeting in The Hague, guarded by police on maximum alert after warnings of possible guerrilla attacks in the Netherlands, the Dutch government said.

“Shalom, Israel. Good morning, Sepharad,” Spanish television said as it opened its morning broadcast with a reference to the Hebrew name of medieval Spain.

The new ties will be sealed on Sunday at a meeting in The Hague between Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez and Israel Prime Minister Shimon Peres, a Dutch spokesman said.

As it signed, Spain issued a statement saying it will retain close links with the Arab world and calling for recognition of Palestinian rights in a peace settlement.

Calls for PLO Talks Role

It called for talks under international auspices “with the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization as representative of the Palestinian people.”

“We believe the Arab people will perfectly understand our position in favor of peace. . . . We hope they will act in accordance and intelligently,” Foreign Minister Francisco Fernandez Ordonez said at a Madrid news conference.

Fernandez Ordonez said he had met representatives of Arab countries recently at the U.N. General Assembly, in Tunis and in Madrid to explain Spain’s position.

Fernandez Ordonez said the move “closes--or opens--an historical cycle,” recalling that Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together in Spain until five centuries ago.

Spain is the last West European country to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. It decided to do so after joining the European Communities on Jan. 1.

Fear of Oil Embargo

Spanish dictator Francisco Franco refused to recognize Israel, and the governments elected since his death in 1975, fearing an Arab oil embargo, said they would do so only if there was movement toward recognition of Palestinian rights.

The Netherlands acted as host in its capacity as current president of the European Communities, in spite of a security alert which began a week ago after warnings from Western intelligence agencies of a threat of a guerrilla attack against Israeli, Jewish or U.S. targets by followers of Palestinian guerrilla leader Abu Nidal.

The location of the ceremony, in The Hague’s Promenade Hotel, was kept secret until an hour after it was over, and a Dutch spokesman said the officials were heavily guarded.

The documents were signed by Yeshayahu Anug, deputy director at Israel’s Foreign Ministry, and Maximo Cajal, secretary-general at the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

The joint declaration said the step had been taken “bearing in mind the profound historic bonds that link the Spanish people and the Jewish people.”