Spanish PM calls on Israel to be excluded from international sport

The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called Israel to be excluded from international sports competitions for his actions in Gaza.

“Israel cannot continue to use any international platform to whiten its image,” he told elected officials from the Party of Socialist Workers.

He said that Israel should be treated in the same way as Russia on its large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

On Sunday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Gideon Saar, described the Spanish Prime Minister as “shame” and accused him of prompting pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Madrid, which caused the cancellation of the last stage of the Vuelta cycling race, in which an Israeli team was in competition.

Earlier in the day, Sánchez had declared that previous demonstrations during the three -week race had shown that Spain “shines as an example, with pride” on the issue of Gaza.

Several ministers of the Spanish government also praised the final demonstration, which involved around 100,000 people, according to official figures.

“It is a relief for me that thousands and thousands of people are mobilizing against this genocide, because it is the genocide and it has no other name,” said óscar López, Minister of Digital Transformation.

Israel has regularly denied that its actions in Gaza represent a genocide and says that they are justified as a means of self -defense.

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, also said that Israel should not participate in the next Eurovision Song competition, repeating the calls made by Sánchez earlier this year.

“We must make sure that Israel does not participate in the next Eurovision,” said Urtasun.

The public broadcasters of Ireland and the Netherlands have already declared that they would not participate if Israel is included in the competition, due to the “appalling” and “severe” losses of human lives and suffering in Gaza.

The relationship between Israel and Spain has been fragile since the end of 2023, when Sánchez expressed his concerns concerning civil death in Gaza and certain members of his government at the time asked for the breakdown of diplomatic relations.

In 2024, Spain joined Norway and Ireland to recognize a Palestinian state and last week, Sánchez accused Israel of genocide and announced a series of measures against it, including an arms embargo.

The Saar of Israel replied by accusing the administration of Sanchez of being anti -Semitic and of using “a wild and hateful rhetoric”.

A recent survey of the Elcano Royal Institute reflection group indicated that at least 82% of the Spanish think that the genocide is committed in Gaza.

Two days after the announcement of Sánchez, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for a suspension of free trade and bilateral support with Israel, while she spoke of “artificial famine” in Gaza.

Von der Leyen also deplored what she called the “painful” inability of Europe to find an adequate response to the actions of Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied several times that famine takes place in Gaza and said that where there was hunger, it is the fault of the aid agencies and Hamas.

Israel accused international aid agencies such as the UN not to take help while waiting for the Gaza border, pointing hundreds of inactive seated trucks.

In August, the food instructor supported by the UN, the IPC, confirmed that famine took place in parts of Gaza. Israel is accused of provoking famine by ongoing restrictions on food and medical aid entering the territory.

Israel controls all border passages in the Gaza Strip and, like the occupying power, it is responsible for the protection of civil life under international law, which includes the prevention of famine.

Israel launched his war in Gaza in response to the attack led by Hamas against southern Israel on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 64,871 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas Ministry of Hamas in the territory.