The Japan Times - Spanish PM calls for Israel to be barred from international sport

Sanchez expressed "deep admiration" for thousands of protesters who forced the halt of the final stage of the Vuelta e Espana on Sunday and said Israel should be penalised just as Russia was over its invasion of Ukraine.

Israel, which had a team in the race, and Spanish conservatives condemned his comments.

"Our position is clear and categorical: as long as the barbarity continues, neither Russia nor Israel should participate in any international competition," said Sanchez, who has become one of Europe's fiercest critics of Israel's tactics in Gaza, where the UN says Palestinians face starvation.

"Sports organizations should ask themselves whether it's ethical for Israel to continue competing internationally," said Sanchez.

"Why was Russia expelled after invading Ukraine, yet Israel faces no expulsion after invading Gaza?"

- Protest against Israeli team -

Around 100,000 protestors gathered for Sunday's final stage of the Vuelta which was cut short around 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the finish in central Madrid. There were some clashes with police.

Protesters denounced the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team in one of the top three races in the international cycling calendar.

The team, privately owned by Israeli-Canadian property developer Sylvan Adams, has been hailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for defying the repeated protests.

On Sunday protesters pushed over barriers and stood in the road where cyclists were due to pass. Police initially intervened at one point on the route, but ultimately allowed protesters to occupy the road peacefully.

- 'Shame for Spain' -

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Sunday accused Sanchez of "encouraging protesters to take to the streets", calling his government a "shame for Spain".

His comments mirrored criticism from Spain's conservative opposition Popular Party (PP).

"The government has allowed and induced the non-completion of the Vuelta and, in this way, an international embarrassment televised worldwide," PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo wrote on X.

Spain's Federation of Jewish Communities (FCJE) condemned what it called the justification of violence in the protests and the spreading of hostility toward the country's roughly 45,000 Jews.

"Any tolerance of violence is a democratic setback and a serious threat to social cohesion," the group said in a statement, urging authorities to prevent such behaviour.

Javier Guillen, director of the Vuelta race, told a news conference on Monday the disruptions were "absolutely unacceptable. I regret the image it gave (to the world) and it should not be repeated."

- Tour de France doubts -

The 2026 Tour de France is due to start in Barcelona, leading to questions about whether this could be changed.

"I don't want to speculate about the possibility," said Guillen. "Barcelona will have the Tour de France... but it's obvious that since this Vuelta, international organisations will have to take decisions."

"I hope it's all sorted (by the Tour de France) and the conflict in Gaza has finished, not just for sport but for humanitarian reasons," he added.

- Gaza genocide claim -

The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 64,905 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

Last week the Sanchez government announced measures aimed at stopping what it called "the genocide in Gaza".

The measures include banning boats carrying fuel destined for the Israeli military from Spanish ports.

Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said Monday that Spain should boycott next year's Eurovision Song Contest if Israel takes part, joining other European nations threatening to pull out.

K.Okada--JT