Junio de 2015 Número 19 ISSN: 2215-2768 Reportes del CEMOAN Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y África del Norte CEMOAN Escuela de Relaciones Internacionales - Universidad Nacional Heredia, COSTA RICA

The Palestinian Kattan family in San Pedro Sula Honduras 1920 Central America and the Middle East: separated by distance, connected by history

Sergio I. Moya Mena

Introduction Although separated by thousands of miles, there have been important historical links between these two regions. Since the end of the Ottoman Empire, Arab immigrants settled in Central America and established economically prosperous and politically influential communities. Later, during the Cold War, a number of relevant linkages and partnerships were developed between the two regions. In recent years,

there is a mutual interest in strengthening cultural and political ties and creating new opportunities for economic and diplomatic cooperation.

This paper portrays the development of relations between Central America CEMOAN and the Arab World, highlighting the role of the , its economic and political success, the political positions of the countries of the region toward the Arab- Centro de Estudios de Israeli conflict, and other issues relating to the political and diplomatic relations Medio Oriente y África between the two regions. del Norte

Although we can identify various types of linkages between Central America cemoan.org and the Arab world dating as far back as the time of Spanish colonization, the most

important linkages between the two regions undoubtedly started with Arab

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immigrants from the ancient Ottoman between One hundred and fifty Empire, who started settling on the thousand and Two-hundred thousand of American continent during the mid the six million inhabitants of Honduras nineteenth century. The majority of are of Palestinian origin, which is the immigrants were Levantines: ed near the end of the nineteenth century, comprising the first of various immigration waves that would follow. What is unusual and perhaps unique about this diaspora to Central America is the financial and political prosperity that many achieved in countries like Honduras or .

In Honduras, existing records identify the first Arab presence in the country Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Apostolic around Eighteen eighty- Church in Honduras three (Euraque, 2000: 242). But only after Nineteen hundred did Arab highest rate of any Latin American immigration start growing quantitatively country, including Chile. As for El to grow, mainly with the settlement of Salvador, Salvadorans of Arab- banana companies on the Atlantic coast of Palestinian origin are estimated to Honduras. Thus between Eighteen eighty number between 50,000 and 60,000 and Nineteen ten Palestinians from towns individuals, which represents and villages like , Beit-Jala and approximately 1% of the overall Beit-Sahour started working in trade, population. although some families also started working in farming or raising livestock. By The Arab presence in the rest of the 1920s, the prior absence of a local Central American countries is lesser. In trader class had resulted in the Costa Rica, the Arab diaspora is Palestinians virtually taking over the comprised mostly of Christian Lebanese. whole trade network in the Northern part In Belize, Palestinians arrived during the of the country, which would represent a nineteen twenties and thirties, with landmark first step in the gradual waves of immigrants arriving just after evolution of their economic and political the establishment of the State of Israel influence (Amaya, 2006: 44). in 1948 and particularly after the Six Day Currently, due to the lack of War. In the case o Belize, the Arab precise statistics, it is estimated that population in this small Central

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Caribbean country does not exceed America. In Honduras, Palestinians 10,000 individuals, who reside mainly in broadened their financial activities the Belize and Cayo districts. beyond trade and thrived with the boom of the banana industry, especially in the The cultural assimilation of the in Central America has been thorough, as evidenced - among other things- by the disuse of the Arabic language, the adoption of Spanish names, marriages with non Arab families or the conversion to Roman Catholicism. However, many Arab communities have retained some of their unique cultural characteristics. Initially, the assimilation of these communities was facilitated by the fact that Banana plantation near La Ceiba most Arabs who migrated to Central America were -in the case of the Palestinians- Catholic or Orthodox Christians, while Northern parts of the country. In the most Lebanese were Maronites. However, nineteen nineties, Arab entrepreneurs a few families in countries like Honduras benefited from the implementation of have now rekindled their link with the neoliberal model, which boosted the Orthodox Christianity, which has resulted free market economy and resulted in the in the establishment of Orthodox privatizing of a number of public churches and bilingual schools. The same enterprises and farming cooperatives. By applies to the Costa Rican Lebanese, who the end of the decade, most of the have recently rekindled their links with country’s business groups were led by the Maronite hierarchies of Lebanon. families of Arab origin, specifically, the Canahuati, Kattan, Handal, Nasser and Economic and media influence: the Facussé. This Arab elite is currently a cases of El Salvador and Honduras fundamental block in the de-facto power structure from a financial, media, Although currently Arab industrial and commercial perspective, descendants are found in all social strata, controlling 90% of the economy and the success achieved by many Arab having a clear influence in the country’s families in countries like Honduras or El politics. Let’s consider -for example- the Salvador is a fairly unusual characteristic realm of finance, a vital aspect of the of the Palestinian diaspora in Central

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economy of Honduras, and which finance. members of the Arab elite populate. As The power of the media is reflected in Chart # 1, the elite has another expression of the enormous successfully penetrated the realm of influence of this Palestinian elite in

Fuente: Registro Mercantil de Cortés y Francisco Morazán. Datos elaborados y publicados por Mario Francisco Flores: “El capital financiero en Honduras” Tesis de maestría en Economía y Planificación. UNAH. Tegucigalpa. Citado por Ramon Romero: Los grupos financieros y el poder político. En Honduras, poderes fácticos y sistema político. Víctor Meza et al. (2009). 4 5 Reportes del CEMOAN No. 19

Honduras. The country’s media of these businessmen are part of the environment is influenced by private and economic groups that have undergone a corporate powers competing against and modernization and diversification

establishing bonds with each other in process and who no longer depend order to control the State’s formal power mainly on traditional export farming and structures. As shown in Chart # 2, Jorge industry as they once did back in the Canahuati Larach owns La Prensa and El sixties and seventies (Segovia, 2005: 24). Heraldo, two of the largest newspapers in the country, while La Tribuna, from San Pedro Sula, has Carlos Roberto Flores Political involvement Facussé, ex-President of Honduras, as one of its majority stockholders. La Prensa As a natural consequence of the represents the interests of the most economic power achieved by the Arab conservative business sectors and has elites in these countries, the field of always endorsed political, ideological and politics is another area where their commercial initiatives aligned with its line power and influence has emerged. of thinking. On this subject, Leticia Salomón, one of the most renowned In Costa Rica, the political social scientists in Honduras, stated that involvement of the Arabs has not been these newspapers were “the fundamental as relevant as it is in Honduras or El pillar for the military coup-d’état that Salvador. In any event, those who have overthrew president Manuel Zelaya in stood out the most have been the June 2009" (Mendez, 2009). Lebanese, who in recent years have taken on important roles in Government Also, in El Salvador, many Ministries. In Nicaragua, the Palestinians businessmen of Palestinian origin have have been the community of Arab origin built quite prosperous companies. Some that have seen the greatest

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achievements in the political field, Miguel Canahuati Canahuati or Nasry especially after the revolutionary process Asfura, who were respectively Minister that culminated in 1979. In Belize, we of External Affairs and of the Honduran have Said Musa, who was Minister of Social Investment Fund until September External Affairs from 1979 to 1984, and 2011. later Minister of Education and finally

Palestinians in politics

The Arab elites have played an Prime Minister between 1998 and 2008. important role in Honduras’ recent In Honduras, the Arabs gradually history (Amaya, 2012: 3). A large portion started taking on various political of the entrepreneurial world, which positions, up to 1998 when Carlos Flores includes many Arabs, was fervently Facussé was elected President. The opposed to the social and economic election of Flores Facussé was extremely reforms endorsed by President Manuel important because this politician, nephew Zelaya, who was overthrown by the coup of Miguel Facussé Barjum (landowner and -d’état of 2009. According to various one of the richest men in the country), analysts, the Facussé, Canahuati, Nasser, clearly endorsed the interests of the Kattán and Atala families openly business group that has controlled the supported and financed the coup, as country’s economy for years. After his they believed that Zelaya’s leftist agenda election, Palestinian descendants have could follow a path similar to that of occupied key positions at parliamentary , or Ecuador. The and ministerial levels; people like Mario support of the Arab elite to the military

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coup obviously generated harsh responses the region has not ignored the political from those opposed to the coup (Amaya, conflicts in the Middle East and in 2012: 3) particular the Arab-Israeli conflict.

In the case of El Salvador, In 1947, the vote of the Latin some Palestinian-Salvadorans have been American countries was decisive for the actively involved in politics. Such is the adoption of the Resolution one hundred case of José Arturo Zablah, Minister of the and eighty-one of the General Assembly Economy from 1989 to 1993, and Eduardo that proposed the partition of Palestine. Zablah Touche, who was also Minister of Since that year, the Arab-Israeli conflict the Economy from 1994 to 1999 (Marín, was seen as a confrontation framed 2000: 45). Other within the Cold War and many countries Palestinian descendants have also been mayors. As an unprecedented case in the Palestinian diaspora, in the 2004 elections, faced another Palestinian descendant,

Elías , an entrepreneur from the ultra-right winged

Alianza Republicana Nacionalista ARENA, who would later be elected President (2004

-2009). Curiously enough, both Handal Schafik Jorge Handal general coordinator of the Farabundo and Saca belong to Martí National Liberation Front. families who emigrated together from Bethlehem in 1913. The son of Schafik -aligned by the U.S.- reaffirmed their Handal, Jorge Schafik Handal Vega, was a support for the Zionist project, a member of the Central American situation that was instrumental in the parliament and candidate for the Mayor’s international legitimacy of the State of Office of in 2012. Israel. In the past, Central American countries were among the most The Arab-Israeli conflict and enthusiastic allies of Israel, and in Palestinian activism general, the overwhelming Latin support was crucial, giving votes to ensure the Beyond the unique development passage of UN resolutions that were of Arab communities in Central America, favorable to Israel or by blocking hostile

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resolutions. even placed their embassies in Jerusalem, in violation of International The strong relationship of Central Law and of a number of resolutions America with Israel, between the regarding the particular nature of the seventies and the eighties, was based city that had been previously adopted by the Security Council or the United Nations General Assembly.

On the other hand,

the links between Central America and the Palestinian struggle for self-

determination are another interesting aspect of Central

American and Middle Eastern relations. In the case of Honduras, it is interesting to

note that during the Yasser Arafat and Daniel Ortega thirties, while the Arabs in Palestine were being increasingly mostly on the military support for right- threatened by Jewish wing dictatorships. By the early eighties, immigration, the Palestinian in Israel became the main supplier of arms Honduras, through the Arab Youth to El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Group of Tegucigalpa (Sociedad Unión And, in addition to this, Israel provided Juvenil Árabe de Tegucigalpa) exhorted the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua, the then Prime Minister of Britain Mr. 98% of its imports of weapons, a fact that, Neville Chamberlain to grant Palestinian as Israel Shahak said, was very significant, Arabs “all the fair rights that they if we remember that in his later years, this claimed, such as the establishment of an regime killed nearly 50.000 people Arab National Government in Palestine (Shahak, 2007, p. 47). and a ban on the sale of land to the Jews and on Jewish immigration into Because of their dependence on Palestine” (Amaya, 2006: 104). the U.S. and as a result of its cooperation in the military field, the governments of Later, with the start of guerilla Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and insurrections in the seventies, a number Guatemala became some of the strongest of links of solidarity would be allies of Israel. For many decades, the established between various governments of Costa Rica and El Salvador revolutionary organizations and the

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Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). deepened its integration with the rest of Various guerrilla fighters from the Frente Salvadoran society and spread Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) Palestinian Arab culture. The APS has took part in the operations of various called for actions of protest against the Palestinian factions. One of them was Israeli occupation and ecumenical Patricio Argüello Ryan, who, in September events of solidarity with the Palestinians of 1970, participated along with famous in the occupied territories. Palestinian guerrilla-fighter Leila Khaled in a failed attempt by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to hijack Since its foundation, the APS has an Israeli El Al airplane flying the Tel Aviv- been requesting the Government's New York route. Khaled was captured and recognition of a Palestinian state with its Argüello Ryan killed. 1967 borders, the establishment of diplomatic relations and support After Somoza’s fall, a mutual Palestine’s request for observer status collaboration agreement was signed within the UN. These lobbying efforts between the PLO and the FSLN and the exerted by Palestinian-Salvadorans were first PLO Office in Central America was a decisive factor in the recognition of the established in Managua (Norton, 1989: Palestinian state, by the Government of 182). El Salvador on August 25th, 2011. A day after El Salvador Sandinista officials frequently recognized the Palestinian state, the visited PLO bases in the Middle East and Lobo, took the same measure and PLO chairman Yasir Arafat was among the recognized Palestine as a "free, dignitaries who attended celebrations in sovereign and independent state." To the capital on the first anniversary of the take this decision, the influential support Sandinista victory, in July 1980. The PLO of the Palestinian community was crucial also provided the Sandinista regime with and well represented by Mario economic aid. Canahuati, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Shortly thereafter the “material The political activism of local and human” collaboration between the Palestinian communities has coincided PLO and the Salvadoran guerrillas also with intense diplomatic efforts of the started. Palestinian Authority in Central America. Upon its recognition as a State, More recently, Palestinian Palestinian diplomatic efforts included communities in El Salvador and Honduras Central America within the priorities of have experienced a rediscovery of their its policy towards . Two cultural identity and a growing political months after the recognition of identification with the Palestinian national Palestine by Honduras and El Salvador, aspirations. In El Salvador, the Palestine the president of the Palestinian Salvadoran Association (APS), sought to Authority, Mahmoud Abbas visited El bring together the Salvadorans of Salvador to thank President Mauricio Palestinian origin, by contributing to Funes for their recognition of the

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Palestinian State and to meet with the recognition of a Palestinian state has local Palestinian community. A few days been the emergence of evangelical later, El Salvador, Honduras along with the groups with a Christian-Zionist other countries of Central America (with orientation, almost always associated the exception of Panama), supported the with entities such as “The International admission of Palestine into UNESCO, and Christian Embassy-Jerusalem”. These in November of that same year, both groups have expressed a vehement countries granted a vote to favor the opposition to the recognition of a resolution including the Palestinian state Palestinian state. In Honduras, their as a UN observer, which led directly to the leaders have expressed the full support establishment of the diplomatic relations.

The approach to Palestine, its recognition as a state and the establishment of the diplomatic relations, represented an historic transformation of the close relations that countries such as Honduras and El Salvador had with Israel, whose government reacted with surprise and indignation at the new relations established with Palestine. In the case of Honduras, despite the fact that the government of this country stated that "it still recognized Israel's right to their own territory and to live in peace The APS organizes an act of solidarity within secure and stable borders," in Palestine Square in San Salvador Israel reacted with resentment towards this diplomatic turn. Israeli authorities minimized the massive to Israel “from the more than two recognition of Palestine as merely million five hundred thousand "symbolic". According to Israeli Deputy evangelicals Hondurans.” For example, Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, "is very when establishing the diplomatic easy for the Palestinians to gain the relations with Palestine in May 2013, support of countries that have had little Alberto Solorzano, the president of the influence in the Middle East." Tel Aviv Evangelical Fellowship of Honduras, said diplomats attributed this shift to the "lack that "the evangelical church was of attention from the U.S. towards Latin opposed to relations with Palestine", America and the growing influence of Iran and warned the Government to fulfill in the region” (Moya, 2015: 126). the biblical promise that says: "those who bless Israel, would be blessed, and Perhaps one of the most those who curse, be cursed” (Iglesia interesting aspects in the process of the evangélica critica establecimiento de

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relaciones con Palestina, Proceso Digital has signed agreements with the United (2013). Autor anónimo). Arab Emirates and Egypt on issues like open skies, the fight against crime, as In recent years, the well as cooperation on issues such as acknowledgment of Palestinian national agriculture, water and technical/cultural aspirations by Central American countries aspects. that previously held monolithically pro- Israeli positions has been a key factor in Recently, both regions have promoting the development of political, mutually acknowledged the enormous diplomatic and commercial relations potential for collaboration and between Central America and the Arab cooperation on economic, political, World. After moving its embassy from social or even cultural issues, just to Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv, Costa Rica name a few. Just like in the rest of Latin established diplomatic relations with America, there has been a growing seven Arab countries, which subsequently interest in the opportunities that closer led to the establishment of the first Costa collaboration with the Arab world may Rican embassy in an Arab country, Qatar. offer, on specific South-South Guatemala has signed agreements with cooperation, negotiating business and Egypt and Morocco on agricultural, investment agreements between forestry, tourism, economic, trade and different countries, strengthening airline technical cooperation for the exchange of connections among regions and the visits between the members of chambers attraction of mutual investments, etc. of commerce and industry. Also, Panama Despite this, commercial relations

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between the two regions are still Palestinians this has led them to strongly underwhelming, as shown in Chart # 3 defend the national aspirations of the and 4. The main products exported to Palestinian people. This process Central America are machinery, chemical corresponds with an important shift in products iron and steel and electrical the positions of Central America’s equipment, while imports include coffee, governments with regards to the Arab- tea, cardamom and tobacco. Israeli conflict. From a strongly pro- Israeli policy, the governments have Conclusions moved towards a more balanced position, which acknowledges and Despite the great distance, Central supports the Palestinian national America and the Middle East have aspirations. This change has led to the developed important links throughout development of relations with the Arab their histories. The most significant world, which, although still limited, have linkage has been through migration. Arabs an important potential for growth in the coming from Palestine and Lebanon future ■ arrived in Central America over a century ago seeking financial opportunities, and in some cases have managed to become part of the most influential economic and political elite.

Although these Arab communities have been assimilated culturally, in recent times they have started playing a greater role in politics, and in the case of the

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Bibliography

-Amaya, J. (2006). Los árabes y palestinos en Honduras (1900-1950). Tegucigalpa: Editorial Guaymuras. ------(2012): Los árabes en Honduras. Reportes del CEMOAN No. 2. Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y África del Norte. Universidad Nacional, Heredia. -Euraque, D. (2011). El capitalismo de San Pedro Sula y la historia política hondureña. Tegucigalpa: Edi- torial Guaymuras. -Marín, R. (2000). A century of palestinian inmigration to Central America: a study of their economic and cultural contributions. San José: Universidad de Costa Rica. -Méndez,L. (2009). Relación de familias que financiaron el Golpe en Honduras. Aporrea.org. -Mesa, Víctor et al (2009): Honduras: poderes fácticos y sistema de partidos. Centro de Documentación de Honduras. Tegucigalpa. -Moya, S. (2015). La diáspora y el reconocimiento al Estado Palestino: los casos de Honduras y El Salva- dor. Revista Retos Internacionales, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro. No. 11, enero 2015. -Norton, R. & Greenberg, M. (1989). The international relations of the Palestine Liberation Organiza- tion. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. -Segovia, A. (2005). Integración real y grupos de poder económico en América Central. Implicaciones para la democracia y el desarrollo de la región. San José: Fundación Friedrich Ebert. Shahak, I. (2007). El Estado de Israel armó las dictaduras en América Latina. Buenos Aires: Editorial Cannán .

About the Author

Sergio I. Moya Mena. Coordinator of the Center for Middle East and North African Studies at the School of International Studies at the National University. He is Professor of Political Science at the University of Costa Rica. He received his B.S. in International relations and Theology from the National University and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Costa Rica. He is the author of “The Middle East, image and conflict” and “Islamism in Tunisia: from independence to the rising of salafism. His forthcoming book, “Sons of Ali: Shi'ism in a new international context” will be published by the University of Costa Rica.

Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y África del Norte CEMOAN Consejo Editorial Alexander López R. ■ Sergio I. Moya Mena ■ Gerardo Morales ■ Óscar Álvarez Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y Consejo Asesor Internacional África del Norte Zidane Zeraoui, Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey Juan Cole, Universidad de Michigan cemoan.org Paulo Botta, Centro de Estudios del Medio Oriente Contemporáneo, CEMOC Jorge Alberto Amaya, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras Victoria Fontan, Universidad de Duhok

Escuela de Relaciones Internacional ■ Universidad Nacional Carlos Cascante Segura, Director

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