Spanish Podemos Party Calls to Ban Entry of “Maccabi Tel Aviv” Team

The Spanish opposition party Podemos has called for barring the Israeli basketball team “Maccabi Tel Aviv” from entering Spain to play against Real Madrid in the EuroLeague basketball tournament.

This demand was made in a letter sent by the party’s leader, Ione Belarra, on Monday to Spain’s Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs.

Belarra commented on the matter in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“The Spanish people have clearly demanded a complete severance of all relations with the Zionists who committed genocide against the Palestinian people.”

She added: “We must ban this team, which supported the genocide, and all its Israeli fans from entering Madrid.”

Opposition to Maccabi Tel Aviv Intensifies Amid Gaza Solidarity

Ione Belarra, leader of Spain’s Podemos party, emphasized that fans of the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv have caused security issues in other countries by defending the ongoing actions in Gaza.

Belarra urged Spanish fans to gather outside the arena hosting the match to stage a protest against Israel, amplifying calls for solidarity with Palestine.

Similar Moves Across Europe

Recently, fans of Paris Saint-Germain’s basketball team announced a boycott of their EuroLeague game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, scheduled for January 16. This decision reflects solidarity with Palestine and opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Context of the Protest

These calls for action come against the backdrop of what many describe as a campaign of genocide waged by the Israeli military in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Supported by the U.S. and some European countries, the conflict has resulted in over 156,000 Palestinian casualties, including thousands of women and children, with more than 11,000 people still missing. Gaza faces immense destruction, widespread hunger, and the deaths of countless elderly and children due to starvation.

The growing backlash against Israeli sports teams reflects broader European discontent with Israel’s policies and ongoing humanitarian crises in Palestine.

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