Spain’s Support for Palestine Through the Lens of Ontological Security: Historical Memory, Anxiety, and Positive Recognition

Abstract

The history of the West is deeply marked by colonial expansion, particularly by powers such as Britain, France, and Spain. However, Spain represents a distinct case, particularly in the context of the Israel–Palestine conflict. Particularly after the Hamas attack of 7 October and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza, which has been widely criticized as involving genocidal practices, Spain has adopted a pro-Palestinian stance not only rhetorically but also through concrete policy actions. The findings suggest that Spain, due to its violent history of state-building, nation-building, and colonialism, seeks a form of symbolic redemption by redefining its national identity and pursuing positive recognition from global public opinion. Within the ontological security literature, such behavior can be interpreted as an attempt to manage guilt, preserve biographical continuity, and restore a positive self-image. A state’s central anxiety concerns the uncertainty surrounding how its national identity narrative will be recognized by other actors in the future. Accordingly, Spain’s support for Palestine can be explained through its anxiety over adapting to an uncertain international environment and its quest for positive recognition. Therefore, this study examines why Spain supports Palestine through the lens of ontological security theory, a critical approach within International Relations.

Keywords

• Spain
• Palestine
• Israel
• Ontological Security

Ontolojik Güvenlik Perspektifinden İspanya’nın Filistin’e Desteği: Tarihsel Hafıza, Kaygı ve Olumlu Tanınma

Abstract

Batı tarihi, bilindiği üzere, sömürgeci geçmişiyle kötü bir üne sahiptir; bu geçmişin en belirgin aktörleri ise Britanya, Fransa ve İspanya gibi devletlerdir. Ancak İspanya’nın durumu diğerlerinden oldukça farklıdır ve bu fark, özellikle İsrail–Filistin çatışmasında açıkça görülebilmektedir. Özellikle 7 Ekim’deki Hamas saldırısı ve sonrasında İsrail’in Gazze Şeridi’nde yürüttüğü askeri harekatın ardından İspanya, yalnızca söylemlerle değil, somut adımlarla da Filistin yanlısı bir tutum sergilemektedir. Bulgular, İspanya’nın geçmişte yaşadığı şiddete dayalı devlet inşası, ulus inşası ve sömürgecilik gibi tarihsel süreçler nedeniyle ulusal kimliğini yeniden tanımlamaya çalıştığını, geçmişiyle ilişkili sembolik bir kefaret arayışına yöneldiğini ve bu yolla dünya kamuoyundan olumlu bir tanınma elde etmeye çalıştığını göstermektedir. Ontolojik güvenlik literatüründe bu durum, bir devletin diğer aktörler tarafından izole edilmemek için olumlu biyografik benliğinin sürekliliğine verdiği önemle açıklanmaktadır. Bu nedenle İspanya’nın Filistin’e verdiği destek, yeni uluslararası çevreye uyum sağlama kaygısı ve olumlu bir tanınma arayışıyla açıklanabilir. Bu çerçevede, İspanya’nın Filistin’e neden destek verdiği sorusunun, eleştirel uluslararası ilişkiler (Uİ) teorisi olan ontolojik güvenlik perspektifinden ele alınması amaçlanmaktadır.

Keywords

• İspanya
• Filistin
• İsrail
• Ontolojik Güvenlik

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