Gibraltar was captured from Spain by Anglo-Dutch forces in 1704 and placed under British control "in perpetuity" by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Since then this small three-and-a-half square mile rocky peninsula at the southern tip of Spain has been an impregnable fortress controlling shipping from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean. Known in ancient times as the "Pillars of Hercules", Gibraltar is one of the many naval/military "gates" promised by God to the descendants of Abraham in Genesis 22:17 and Genesis 24:60.

However with the loss of Hong Kong in July 1997, Gibraltar is the last of these "gates" and its future is no longer safe and secure. Current British defence policy de-emphasises the importance of the Rock as a military base. Under both Conservative and Labour governments, the desire of the 30,000 strong population to stay British is being undermined and eroded. The Gibraltar government's UK representative Albert Poggio has said, "Someone is making it easier for Spain to get its hands on the Rock, and I believe the main influence is the Foreign Office."

The old saying "As safe as the Rock of Gibraltar" has a hollow ring to it in 1998.

Spain is to propose that Britain takes a 99-year lease on Gibraltar, after London climbed down over its threatened veto of Spain's integration in NATO's military command. As Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, prepares for talks in London on Wednesday with Abel Matutes, his Spanish counterpart, Spanish sources have revealed that their Government is ready to unveil a new plan for joint sovereignty to make London and Madrid jointly responsible for the Rock until it reverts to Spanish control in the next century. To sweeten the package, Spain will suggest social benefits, political rights and economic inducements to persuade inhabitants of the Rock to accept the plan. It promises to give the 30,000 Gibraltarians more say over their future and access to far more money and special funds than they now enjoy as a British dependency. However, Spain made it clear it will use both stick and carrot. If Gibraltarians are "obstinate", Spain will toughen the already difficult border controls, Senor Matutes said in a newspaper interview. British officials dismissed any suggestion of shared sovereignty, saying that the Spanish plan was completely unacceptable and that if Spain tried to bully Gibraltar again, there would be a sharp British reaction.

Last week a Bill was introduced in the Commons proposing to give Gibraltar the right to elect its own MP to Westminster. It would integrate Gibraltar with Britain and give it the same political rights as any part of the United Kingdom. Such a plan would provoke fury in Madrid. Spain admits that its "Two Flag" plan is not new, saying it was first put to James Callaghan when he was Prime Minister in 1979. But it claims that the package is now worth far more to the Gibraltarians. Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, said during a recent visit to London that he would be pressing Britain to end the Rock's colonial status by making it a crown dependency similar to Jersey or the Isle of Man. Mr. Cook said he would give Mr. Caruana's proposal "a fair wind", but British officials made it clear that they would not do anything to upset Madrid. Spanish sources said the proposal was unacceptable but Madrid has few hopes that Britain will endorse its own plan.