This morning I looked at a group of WhatsApp I came across a striking piece of news - at least for me - given by my sister-in-law: "Today, Wednesday, October 15, 2025, my nieces have no school because their teachers have decided to go on strike in protest against the events taking place in Palestine".
Recently, as a consequence of my father's death, I have had to go to different public administration centers to request and present documents related to inheritance and succession procedures. In all the offices, I have found pamphlets and images that call the attention of citizens and taxpayers to the great catastrophe caused by the war between Hamas and Israel. Likewise, in the "states of WhatsApp"From neighbors, friends and acquaintances I have read slogans, phrases, speeches, photos and other propaganda in support of Palestine. I have allowed myself to use the word propaganda.
According to the RAE propaganda is:
1. "Action and effect of making something known in order to attract followers or buyers.
2. "f. Texts, works, and means used for propaganda. 3. f. Association whose purpose is to propagate doctrines, opinions, etc.".
It is clear that our society is very concerned about the situation in Palestine, especially for its women and children.
It is 12 o'clock in the morning on an ordinary Wednesday. My father, who was closer to me than I had imagined, died suddenly on the morning of May 24, 2025. The event greatly shocked my entire family: my mother, a 65-year-old widow; my children, who adored their grandfather; my siblings and me.
Broken with grief, I set out to help my mother with the bureaucracy that one must go through after the death of a parent. The fact is that the State -specifically, the autonomous administration- "considers" that it should receive part of the deceased's assets by the mere fact of his or her death. With that dejection I presented myself to different administrations served by specific individuals, with a name and surname, a family, a history and a very deep concern: Gaza and the State of Palestine.
- Good morning. I am here to present this documentation and the form 650 to fill in the inheritance tax related to my father's inheritance.
The good official, concerned - let's remember - about the situation of women in Gaza, without saying good morning to me, tells me:
- This must be submitted online.
- Yes, I know, but since the site is giving me problems I decided to bring it in person.
- But all this that you bring me is a lot of papers and even if the telematic form gives an error, you can try again.
- You see, the deadline for filing the document has expired and I cannot waste any more time to file it telematically. Last night I tried to do it and, finally, after two hours, I could not.
- Look, the law encourages telematic filing and I insist that you do so.
At that moment my eyes were on the verge of tears. I had just come from other procedures that cost me sweat and tears to complete and even some hand contact.
At that moment my mind was thinking: "don't get angry, surely he has some bad situation, or maybe he is going through a marital crisis" (according to statistics a 50% of Spaniards get divorced). So I decide to continue being nice and ask for help:
- Look, I just want to present this and get it stamped. My kids get out of school at 2:00 p.m. and I have to pick them up. can you help me?
- I'm telling you, the best thing to do is to do it telematically.
At that moment my mind and my strength could not take it anymore, so I answered this good woman concerned about Gaza: - Look, I am a magistrate by profession and I know my rights and my rights are that you pick up this request.
It seems that the word "magistrate" provoked some strange sensation in her head, perhaps the same one that the news about Gaza provokes in her. She immediately called her superior, whom she informed without any discretion about my condition. Everything was great from then on, they even offered me water.
I believe that the reader has sufficient intelligence to reach the conclusion as to the motive that led this official to suddenly help me. She felt that my working and social condition was worthy of assistance. We can also always think well and come to the conclusion that my watery eyes made this official reconsider and she finally decided to help me and put the stamp I needed on the papers presented.
Whether we think one way or the other, the truth is that for a moment I thought I would like to be treated like that woman in Gaza who, thanks to the propaganda hanging on the wall of the public buildings, awakens in the civil servant feelings so strong that they lead to a strike to join her in her pain. However, I live 4,000 kilometers away from Gaza and only a few meters away from this official; I live just below the neighbor who publishes "states of WhatsApp"I have been in Gaza for hours and hours asking for help for the women and children of Gaza, I live with friends who talk for hours and hours about the Gaza problem, and I work with civil servants who decide to strike for the people of Gaza.
Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher, said that life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. That is to say, it is not right to live a problem so far away that we can do nothing about it as if our life depended on it, and yet neglect the nearby problem that other people may suffer every day, looking the other way. The world can only change when we undertake and attempt change in our environment.
Magistrate
Español 
English 
Italiano