Spain escalates its rhetoric against the occupation and European positions.. This is what its Foreign Minister has vowed.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares accused the European Union of silence regarding what is happening in the Gaza Strip, affirming that his country will lead an international movement to take concrete steps to stop the massacres against the Palestinians.

Earlier, Albares stated that he would support the exclusion of the Israeli team, Israel Premier Tech, from the Vuelta cycling race, following the team's targeting during pro-Palestine demonstrations that caused the competitions to halt.

José Manuel Albares added, in response to a question from Spanish National Public Radio (RNE), that he would understand and support the idea of excluding the Israeli team from the race, adding that his government cannot claim it has the ability to do so.

He clarified, "We must send a message to Israel and the Israeli society that Europe and Israel cannot maintain normal relations unless human rights are respected."

On Wednesday, the organizers of the Vuelta a España cycling race announced the shortening of the eleventh stage in the city of Bilbao, and that no winner would be declared for it, following pro-Palestine protests witnessed at the finish line.

An official statement from the race management explained: "After the events that occurred at the finish line, it was decided to adopt the timing of the stage three kilometers before the finish line, and no winner will be announced for this stage."

The statement confirmed that the times recorded up to that point would be counted in the overall ranking of the race.

A large number of protesters supporting the Palestinian cause gathered near the finish line, with some attempting to breach security barriers as the racers passed for the first time, prompting police intervention.

This year's race has faced a series of daily protests, with demonstrators focusing their efforts on the Israeli team "Israel - Premier Tech," which is participating among the official teams in the tour.

For his part, race director Javier Guillén announced that the organizers would file an official complaint with the police, describing the protests as "acts of violence."

However, Guillén's statements were met with a government response, as Spanish Youth Minister Irene Montero stated: "It is unacceptable to describe a peaceful protest against a team supported by a country accused of systematic violence in Gaza as an act of violence."

These protests come amid rising public anger in Europe and the world towards Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, with demonstrators accusing some sports teams of complicity through commercial and sports partnerships with Israeli institutions.

On Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Europe's response to the Gaza war has been a failure and that the double standards regarding Gaza and Ukraine threaten to undermine the West's global standing.

He added, "We are pleased that European countries are joining Spain in recognizing a Palestinian state, but Europe's response has been weak."

He continued, "EU countries are divided on how to influence Israel, and this is unacceptable."