Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday blasted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as a “disgrace,” accusing him of encouraging violent anti-Israel protests that disrupted the Vuelta a Espana cycling race.
“A few days ago, the Prime Minister of Spain expressed regret that he didn’t have an atomic bomb ‘to stop Israel.’ Today he encouraged demonstrators to take to the streets. The pro-Palestinian mob heard the incitement messages—and wrecked the ‘La Vuelta’ cycling race. Thus, the sporting event that had always been a source of pride for Spain was canceled,” Jerusalem’s top diplomat wrote on X, adding Sanchez and his leftist socialist government were a “disgrace to Spain!”
The final stage of the three-week race was abandoned in Madrid on Sunday afternoon when hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters knocked down security barriers and overtook part of the course riders were set to pass through. The activists clashed with police, who fired tear gas and charged the crowd. Protesters threw water bottles and other objects at police.
Earlier in the day, Sanchez told a socialist party rally in the southern city of Malaga that he felt “pride” over the demonstrations against the war in Gaza and in support of the Palestinians that have repeatedly disrupted the race, targeting the Israel-Premier Tech team.
“Today marks the end of the Vuelta,” said Sanchez. “Our respect and recognition for the athletes and our admiration for the Spanish people who are mobilizing for just causes like Palestine.”
More than 1,000 police officers were deployed to the capital for the demonstrations, which Spanish authorities said numbered more than 100,000.
Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark was declared the winner, as he led going into the 21st and final stage.
“It’s a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us,” said Vingegaard after winning his first Vuelta. There was no podium ceremony.
“I was looking forward to celebrating this overall win with my team and the fans. Everyone has the right to protest, but not in a way that influences or endangers our race,” he continued.
Israel-Premier Tech is a private entity owned by Israeli-Canadian property developer Sylvan Adams. Last week, the team modified their uniforms to not display their team name in the face of violent disruptions.
The conservative mayor of Madrid, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, blamed Sanchez for the abrupt cancellation.
"(It’s) violence that the prime minister is directly responsible for due to his statements today in the morning instigating the protests,” said Martinez-Almeida. “Today is the saddest day since I became mayor of this great city.”
The mayor is a member of the right-wing opposition People’s Party, which runs the capital region and the local council. Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said on social media that “the government has allowed and induced the non-completion of the Vuelta and, in this way, an international embarrassment televised worldwide.”
Far-left Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz, leader of the Sumar political alliance, again falsely accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge that Jerusalem vehemently denies.
“Israel cannot compete in any event while it continues to commit a genocide,” she wrote. On Sept. 8, Sa’ar announced that Diaz and another anti-Israel minister, Sira Rego, were banned from entering the Jewish state, citing violent and antisemitic statements they made following the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on the same day recalled Spain’s ambassador to Israel, Ana María Salomón, for consultations over the Jewish state’s announcement of sanctions against the two Spanish Cabinet members.
The Israeli actions also came on the same day that Sánchez presented nine harsh measures against Israel to “prevent genocide in Gaza.”
On Sept. 9, Spain banned Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sept. 11 accused Sanchez of having issued a “blatant genocidal threat” against Israel earlier in the week.
The Spanish leader said Madrid “can’t stop Israel’s battle against Hamas terrorists because ‘Spain does not have nuclear weapons,’” the premier said. “That’s a blatant genocidal threat to the world’s only Jewish state. Apparently, the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews of Spain and the systematic mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust, is not enough for Sánchez,” continued Netanyahu. “Incredible.”
On Sept. 8, announcing the series of sanctions against Israel to “prevent genocide in Gaza,” Sanchez tried to explain why Madrid cannot stop the war against Hamas.
“Spain does not have nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers or vast oil reserves,” he said in his national address. “On our own, we cannot stop the Israeli offensive. But that does not mean we will stop trying.”
