Spanish minister says Israeli cycling team should be expelled from Vuelta after protest
Albares said he would “understand and be in favor” of the Israeli team being removed“We have to send a message to Israel and the Israeli society that Europe and Israel can only have normal relations when human rights are respected”BARCELONA: Spain’s foreign minister has said he would support the expulsion of Israel Premier Tech from the Spanish Vuelta after the cycling team was targeted by a pro-Palestinian protest that disrupted the race.Spain’s top diplomat, José Manuel Albares, said late Thursday he would “understand and be in favor” of the Israeli team being removed, while adding his government doesn’t have the power to do so. He made the statement in response to a question by a journalist on Spain’s national radio RNE.“We have to send a message to Israel and the Israeli society that Europe and Israel can only have normal relations when human rights are respected,” Albares said.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support of the team, which is owned by Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams, in a message on X on Friday.
