In brief
Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, has publicly voiced a call for Israel to be barred from participating in international sports, likening its actions in Gaza to those of Russia during the Ukraine invasion. This comes as tensions escalate following protests in Madrid that canceled a cycling race involving an Israeli team. The call has sparked sharp responses from Israeli officials, with Sánchez's government standing firm on its stance regarding Israel's actions.
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 said Israel should not take part in the next Eurovision Song Contest, repeating calls made by Sánchez earlier this year.
We have to make sure that Israel does not take part in the next Eurovision, Urtasun said.
The public broadcasters of Ireland and the Netherlands have already said they will not participate if Israel is included in the contest because of the appalling and severe loss of lives and human suffering in Gaza.
