Rafael Catalá claims granting of nationality to Sefardi Jews as satisfaction of an "historic debt"

Rafael Catalá, described this new law as a meeting point between today's Spaniards and the descendents of those who were unjustly expelled as from 1492, and highlighted the importance of the support obtained from Spanish political parties of all colours to seek to offer legal redress to those Sefardi Jews who so wish to enjoy the rights offered by our country.

The minister highlighted the long path of reconciliation implemented in Spain as from the signing of the Cooperation Agreement in 1992 with the so-called Federation of Israelite Communities, until reaching important agreements such as the constitution of the new Advisory Committee on Religious Liberty which the Jewish communities in Spain form a part of, or the activity of the Pluralism and Co-existence Foundation that has been supporting the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain with projects that make their presence more visible in Spanish public opinion.

Finally, Rafael Catalá placed particular importance on the implementation and consolidation of the Anti-Semitism Observatory and the provisions of the recently approved Criminal Code, which hands down sentences of up to four years imprisonment to those that incite hatred on grounds of anti-Semitism or deny, trivialise or seek to commend crimes of genocide.