In brief
In a controversial statement, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged for Israel to be banned from international sports competitions due to its actions in Gaza. He equated the situation to Russia's conduct during the Ukraine war. This call follows protests in Spain against Israel's military operations, which resulted in the cancellation of a significant cycling event involving an Israeli team. The statement has garnered backlash from Israel, with officials labeling Sánchez as inciting unrest and displaying anti-Israel sentiment.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel to be excluded from international sports competitions over its actions in Gaza. Israel cannot continue to use any international platform to whitewash its image, he told elected representatives of his Socialist Workers' Party. He said Israel should be treated in the same way as Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.On Sunday, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the Spanish prime minister a disgrace and accused him of inciting pro-Palestinian protests in Madrid, which caused the cancellation of the final stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race, in which an Israeli team was competing.Earlier in the day, Sánchez had said that previous protests during the three-week race had shown that Spain shines as an example, with pride on the Gaza issue. Several Spanish government ministers also praised the final stage protest, which involved about 100,000 people, according to official figures.It's a relief to me that thousands and thousands of people mobilise against that genocide, because it is genocide and it has no other name, said Óscar López, the minister of digital transformation.Israel has regularly denied that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide and says they are justified as a means of self-defence.Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun also stated that Israel should not take part in the next Eurovision Song Contest, echoing calls made by Sánchez earlier this year. The public broadcasters of Ireland and the Netherlands have already indicated they will not participate if Israel is included in the contest.The relationship between Israel and Spain has soured since late 2023, when Sánchez expressed concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza and took measures against Israel, including an arms embargo. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Spaniards believe genocide is being committed in Gaza. This situation underscores a broader European sentiment about the humanitarian crisis, with calls for trade suspensions and increased accountability for Israel's actions.
