The suspension of the Vuelta a España and Sánchez's support for the Gaza protests have sparked a political and diplomatic storm.

Government ministers, the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and Sumar (Sumar) praised the people of Madrid following the protests against Israel that forced the cancellation of the final round of the Vuelta a Espana, while the PP (People's Party), the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of allowing and inciting pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Hours before the riots, at a rally in Malaga, the Prime Minister had presented Spain as "an example and a source of pride to an international community " that sees the country "taking a step forward in the defense of human rights," condemning the "barbarism" in Gaza, and "mobilizing for just causes like that of Palestine."

Following the pro-Palestinian protests that led to the interruption and cancellation of the Vuelta a España finish, Yolanda Díaz , Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor, considered that the demonstrations in support of Palestine during the Vuelta a España were "an example of dignity" and demonstrated that Spanish society does not tolerate normalizing the "genocide" in Gaza.

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service, Óscar López, stated that he regrets the cancellation of the final stage of the Vuelta Ciclista in Madrid, but that he feels "much more for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who are being massacred."

The general secretary of the PSOE-M has also published a message on the social network X in which he asserts that the fact that " the people of Madrid are demonstrating against genocide does not harm the image of Spain. On the contrary. It speaks very well of the people of Madrid."

Along the same lines, the PSOE has said that "the people of Madrid, like so many others throughout La Vuelta, dignify Spain in the eyes of the world."

"Violence is the thousands of civilians killed in Gaza by the fire that falls from the sky daily, sent by the Israeli government," the socialists stressed in a statement published on the social network X.

Podemos leader Ione Belarra told RNE that the protests that halted the Vuelta a España were a "historic victory" and a "success for organized civil society," which "is what can stop this genocide broadcast live without anyone doing anything."

From the PP , however, its main leaders blamed the Government and in particular its president, Pedro Sánchez, for having allowed and encouraged the protests.

PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has blamed Sánchez for having "allowed and induced" the protests against Israel and in favor of Palestine.

In Feijóo's opinion, the suspension of the Vuelta has been an "international ridicule televised around the world."

This was expressed in a letter published on the social network X, in which the leader of the Popular Party reproached Sánchez for being "proud" of the behavior of those who "have thrown barriers at the National Police, without guaranteeing the safety of the organizing staff, runners, and journalists."

Vox leader Santiago Abascal has called the Prime Minister a "psychopath" who has taken his "militias to the streets" because "he wants violence in the streets to maintain power."

The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, has demanded that Sánchez and the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande Marlaska, "firmly and unequivocally" condemn the "violent acts" that occurred this afternoon in the country's capital.

The mayor of Madrid made this statement in an official statement issued after protesters took to the streets of Madrid where the cycling peloton was scheduled to pass, carrying Palestinian flags and tearing down security barriers, forcing the cancellation of the Vuelta a España.

Almeida also stated that what happened today in Madrid is "the fruit and result of the hatred and violence that have been irresponsibly encouraged in recent days by leaders of the left, by government leaders, and especially today by the Prime Minister."

Along the same lines, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso , stated that "when the president of the nation encourages the boycott of the Vuelta Ciclista a España in his own capital, he becomes directly responsible for every incident that occurs."

On the contrary, the government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, has stated that the pro-Palestinian demonstration that paralyzed the cycling tour in the capital was " peaceful " and the people of Madrid have sent "to the world an immense message of solidarity, humanity and empathy with the suffering of the Palestinian people."

A total of 22 national police officers were injured in the protests, with injuries of varying severity from the throwing of fences and objects, and two people were arrested, according to sources from the National Police who spoke to EFE.

3,151 kilometers is the distance covered by cyclists in La Vuelta 2025 and is the straight-line distance between Madrid and Tel Aviv. A nearly insurmountable gap, like the one separating the governments of Pedro Sánchez and Benjamin Netanyahu , which has only widened in recent weeks in the heat of civil protests and "inciting messages," as Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described Pedro Sánchez 's remarks in Malaga.

This Sunday's clash was the latest in an escalating tension between the two governments that began with the nine measures announced by Sánchez exactly one week ago. In that address from the Moncloa Palace, and without the opportunity for questions from journalists, the Prime Minister openly referred for the first time to the Israeli offensive in Gaza as "genocide." Since those remarks, members of Benjamin Netanyahu 's government team and the Israeli Prime Minister himself have increasingly escalated their rhetorical tone against Spain's top leaders. " The corrupt attempt by the Sánchez government to distract attention from serious cases of corruption through an anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli campaign is evident ," Saar wrote on social media.

Hours later—after the attack in Jerusalem that killed six people, one of them a young Spaniard—Netanyahu was even harsher about the official Spanish position on the conflict. "Sánchez and his crooked ministers, who justified the October 7 massacre, have long opted to align themselves with Hamas... it's shameful."

Following these statements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled the ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations, following the entry ban on Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego. The Sánchez administration responded with a statement in which it asserted that it "will not be intimidated in its defense of peace, international law, and human rights." Furthermore, the statement released by Moncloa described the Israeli accusations of antisemitism as false and slanderous.

However, the diplomatic conflict between Madrid and Tel Aviv reached its penultimate peak last Thursday , after Prime Minister Netanyahu's office accused Pedro Sánchez of "genocidal threats." The Israeli leader wrote on the social network X, paraphrasing alleged words from Sánchez during his speech at Moncloa Palace earlier this week, that "Spain could not stop Israel's fight against Hamas terrorists because their country does not have nuclear weapons." "It is a flagrant genocidal threat against the only Jewish state in the world," he added in another post. Netanyahu referred to Sánchez's words in which he noted that " Spain, as you know, does not have nuclear bombs, nor aircraft carriers or large oil reserves. We alone cannot stop the Israeli offensive, but that does not mean that we will stop trying."

The department headed by Albares called Netanyahu's comments false and slanderous.

The latest episodes of verbal spat occurred this weekend, although some have already spilled over into the economic arena. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced that Israeli companies will not participate in next year's Mobile World Congress, the technology fair held annually in Barcelona, ​​due to "systematic support for Hamas."

The latest clash so far occurred last night between one of the most belligerent members of Netanyahu's administration and Pedro Sánchez's government team. Gideon Saar, Israel's foreign minister, echoed Netanyahu's accusations: "A few days ago, the Spanish prime minister lamented not having an atomic bomb to 'stop Israel,'" he charged. "Today (Sunday) he encouraged protesters to take to the streets and made the pro-Palestinian crowd overhear the incitement messages and blew up the race. Shame on Spain."