Spain’s Sanchez Calls for Israel’s Ban From Global Sports Over Gaza War

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on international sporting bodies to suspend Israel from competitions, saying it should face the same level of global accountability for its war on Gaza as other nations have faced for military actions.

“The sports organisations should consider whether it’s ethical for Israel to keep participating in international competitions,” Sanchez told his Socialist Party on Monday.
“Why expel Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and not expel Israel after the invasion of Gaza? Until the barbarity ends, neither should be in any international competition.”

His comments followed a protest at the closing stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race in Madrid, where activists opposed to the participation of Israeli team Israel–Premier Tech threw barriers onto the course. Police clashed with demonstrators near the finish line — 22 people were injured and two arrested.

Spain’s Sports Minister Pilar Alegría had echoed this stance last week, saying Israeli teams should face the same bans applied to others in the past for war-related aggression, pushing back against what she described as a clear “double standard.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lashed out at Sanchez, calling him an “anti-Semite and a liar”, without offering specifics. Critics have long accused the Israeli government of using allegations of anti-Semitism to silence criticism of its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

In a similar incident last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded the International Criminal Court anti-Semitic after it issued arrest warrants against him and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.

Tensions between Madrid and Tel Aviv are deepening beyond the sporting arena.

According to documents seen by AFP, Spain has cancelled a €700 million ($824m) weapons deal with Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems for rocket launchers. This brings the total value of annulled Israeli arms contracts to nearly €1 billion in recent months.

Neither Elbit nor the Israeli government have publicly confirmed the cancellation. However, Spanish media reports suggest the country is actively working to reduce dependence on Israeli defence technology, exploring alternatives with domestic arms manufacturers.

Last week, Sanchez announced a sweeping set of measures to ratchet up pressure on Tel Aviv, framing them as part of Spain’s “moral responsibility” to push for an end to the ongoing devastation in Gaza:

• Bans on Israeli arms shipments through Spanish airspace and ports
• A ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements
• €10 million in new funding to UNRWA
• A total of €150 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza by 2026

Sanchez has openly criticised what he called Israel’s “barbarity” in Gaza, amid soaring civilian casualties, the destruction of entire neighbourhoods, and a worsening humanitarian crisis.