Things are hotting up over the 2.6 square miles of British Territory on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula known as Gibraltar.
The area has been under British rule since 1713 but sovereignty has always been contested by Spain.
The Spanish took it off a Jewish group during the Spanish Inquisition of 1501. Prior to that it belonged to the Moors people during the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Spanish claim it should belong to them every now and again. The reason things have kicked off this time is due to the people of Gibraltar trying to protect it's waters from Spanish fishing boats. The treaty at the time Britain took over it (Treaty of Utrecht) states
"The Catholic King does hereby, for himself, his heirs and successors, yield to the
Crown of Great Britain the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar,
together with the port, fortifications, and forts thereunto belonging; and he gives up
the said propriety to be held and enjoyed absolutely with all manner of right for ever,
without any exception or impediment whatsoever." - fails to mention the sea. So Spain claims the sea around Gibraltar belongs to them to fish the living fuck out of. International law states that the sea belongs to where the land is adjacent to it.
Britain has made offers to share it, but these have been rejected by the population of Gibraltar. 96% wanted it to remain British in a recent refferendum.
I have been there twice, actually I was going to get married in Gibraltar about eight years ago. It is a wealthy area and very very British. British red telephone boxes, British 'bobby' policemen, Post Offices and of course the £ (pound) I really loved it and decided already I want to 'retire' there.
I think the hostilities between us and Spain are leading to more than past eruptions. They have an Ally, our old enemy Argentina. They also have a 'Joker' card who is The Pope. The Pope has said that we should hand Gibraltar back.
