Come on Mr. Bechor I am the descendant of one of those thousands of Jews who were forced out of Spain. But time has passed and Spain is really a beautiful country which like all of Europe has problems and loves Arab money although they hate the Arabs.. So if they want to give us their citizenship, it's another way to apologize. At least they recognize how great the Jewish people is ..Aren't we the "Chose one " ?

For a long time, the Sephardim have been able to obtain Spanish citizenship with fewer requirements than other people. The new law will make it possible for them to have dual citizenship. This being so, it will not be obligatory for the Sephardim to renounce their current nacionality or live in Spain. It is up to them to apply for citizenship and it is up to them to live in Spain.

The Jews came to Spain and were responsible and productive citizens. The Muslims conquered Spain by the sword and for the greatness of Allah. The Jews were expelled by Royal Edict. The Muslims were driven out by the sword, the same way they came, Spain owes the Jews. Spain owes nothing to the Muslims. They were treated with their own medicine.

Some people in Israel, the PM being one of the most prominent, will just see antisemitism wherever they look and in whatever they are looking at. It's just pathetic and obsessional.

Several thousand Jews were saved from the Holocaust under a law of 1924 which grants the Sephardim Spanish citizenship.

Why do you criticise Spain regarding jews expulsion in 1492?.What did they do your so called anglos friends?I tell you,Britain put out jews in 1292 and nobody tells about it.What did your anglos friends during WWII?.Bombing Dresden and Colonia instead of Auschwitz and Treblinka....In Spain left is mostly antiisraeli but the right political side is not antiisraeli at all. Apart from that,to say that this move in Spain is with the aim to attract jewish money and business is Spain is an insult to intelligence.

The more observant and Torah true Jews left Spain while the less observant had less issue converting. Similarly now when the state of Israel has passed a law to jail Jews who learn Torah., it would be ironic if Jews in order to learn Torah had to obtain Spanish and other European passports and reestablish themselves in Spain and Germany!!

But Spain does not "need" Jews. It already has hundreds of thousands of foreign investors, primarily British and German, who come there for their summer holidays and retirement, and leave there heaps of money. The idea behind this move is simply goodwill and reconciliation. Yes it cannot possibly make up for the horrors of the Inquisition, but it's a token gesture, a way for Spain to express its regret. Stop thinking you are so powerful and important, stop screaming antisemitism on everything, and appreciate this simple gesture for what it is.

Guy Bechor writes: "The Spanish government's decision, which Portugal appears to be joining too, to grant nationality to the descendants of expelled Jews is infected with anti-Semitism – no less. These countries must shelve it in order to save their honor". Portugal has had th right of return for seven months already! Spain has maybe the worst antisemitism in Europe and Portugal has as close to zero as it gets. He wrote the article without having done even the smallest amount of research and it should be updated and corrected if possible. I am Israeli and have lived in Lisbon for the last six months.

800,000 Jews were marched into the sea to drown? No 'laws' then to follow. BUILDING ISRAEL !!!!

Abbas and his cronies clearly cannot tell Sephardim to go back to Poland...even they wouldn't be so daft.But now that Spain has offered them citizenship,the PLO can tell them to go back to Spain. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

And Guy Bechor doesn't know that? A really well researched article! Spain has probably the worst antisemitism in Portugal has as close to zero as it gets.

Read up.

when the east European countries who joined the EU offered citizenship to Israeli Jews originating from these countries. On the contrary, every eligible Israeli lined up in front of the embassies to apply for the passport. So why the fuss about Spain and Portugal?

Please...stop embarrassing yourself. "Silliest so far"....LOL.

Not Israel. The palestinians and their fellow Arabs waged a war of annihilation against the Jews. Yet strangely enough, Israel is still 20% Arab.

2014 just started last month.

but don't take my word for it. Check: 1. the archives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - their offices worked openly throughout the entire period of WWII in Barcelona 2. get a copy of the book THE MEZUZA IN THE MADONNA'S FOOT 3. Please do be aware that there are two Fascist Spanish Diplomats who are officially recognized Yad VaShem "Righteous Amongst the Nations"...those diplomats functioned with the full knowledge and agreement of the Fascist Dictator Francisco Franco. 4. There is full documented proof that the Fascist Dictator Francisco Franco saved 35,000 Jews and that he did NOT deliver a single Jew to the Hitler. 5. The Jews of Thessaloniki were Greek and if you check you will see that the Archbishop of Greece made serious efforts to rescue them. In other words my friend you have no idea what you are talking about. E.N. Peres Galan y Tejera (Sameach Tet)

Thank you for saying what needed to be said. E.N. Peres Galan y Tejera (Samaech Tet)

needs to be remembered is that the Spanish Government voted WITH the PLO on 29 Nov 2013 and that the only reason they are making this offer of citizenship is to "make nice" to Israel. I as a Samaech Tet am insulted...I do not need what the Spanish Government and the Spanish Media are calling "El Derech al Retorno" (Right of Return) to Spain, I have Israel and it is my one true home. E.N. Peres Galan y Tejera (Sameach Tet)

Your editorial and opinion is well thoughtful and profound. My concern is not the smoke and mirror facade that Spain is pulling to entice Jews, it is the numb skull Jews who will fall for that trash as their perceived notion of financial and economic gain. Unfortunately, all the editorials and warning will never phase all the Jews, all the time. There are those who have an inherent fatal flow of following the money and disregarding their's and their family's personal safety for short term monetary gain, all for the sake of haughtiness. Your editorial should be universal to all Jews who live in Europe. That continent has been nothing less than beastly to the Jews. Meanwhile, Jews are streaming to move, live, tour, befriend and augment the European a-moral economy & society. It's a shame we Jews cannot pull ourselves back from momentary delights and ask ourselves, "what are we doing this for?". If we Jews would collectively regain our Jewish sense, identity and cleave to our history and traditions, then a new era of common sense will be ushered in.

Let Spain drown in their debt An excellent comment, Very well said, thank you

back to & prior to that era. spit, why don't you split & take your stupidity elsewheres ? Do it now !

One rather reflecting our over-kill, liberal times? Knock off with the sour "captives of history" routine, take the damn passport, and be thankful for this bit of Spanish symbolism.

Truly a bizarre article, from someone who knows nothing about Jewish history, or about Spain for that matter. The Spanish offer is the result of a long revival of interest in Sephardic Jewish life as it existed in Spain, and acknowledgement of the Inquisition. Even for Yediot Ahronoth , these articles are becoming more and more bizarre.

The European bent toward anti-Semitism, in all its motley manifestations, has never changed and will never change. Only Israel stands between European Jews and the next holocaust.

Why did you comment that way when conservatives deeply believe that governments need to respect personal freedoms and private property? Would you bow and show gratitude to a country that took everything away from your ancestors, or would you consider that property and citizenship your birthright?

I wonder how it is possible for Jews to live in Germany.

The time of brooding & fixation on that period of history hath expired. Smile, take the passport, and move on.

from Africa