Independent: Gaza Pursues Israel in Global Sports and Cultural Arenas

The British newspaper Independent reported that the international arena is witnessing a backlash against Israel in light of the devastating war its army has been waging on the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

It added in a report that pressures have begun to extend beyond politics to reach sports and cultural arenas, noting that the Spanish cycling race "Vuelta" was disrupted due to protests against an Israeli team.

It further stated that fans in Poland booed when the Israeli anthem was played before a basketball game.

Several European countries have also threatened to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest scheduled for next May if Israel participates.

The Independent pointed out that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez adopted a strong stance by calling for a sports boycott of Israel until its barbaric war in Gaza ends, which provoked an angry response from Israel, with its Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar describing the Spanish leader as "a liar and anti-Semitic."

The Spanish broadcasting authority joined three other European countries threatening to withdraw from the famous Eurovision song contest and not broadcast it next year if Israel is allowed to participate, according to the British newspaper's report.

Although Israel has not been excluded from major sports organizations like the International Olympic Committee or FIFA—unlike Russia after its invasion of Ukraine—the Independent confirmed the rising tone of protests against Israel.

It explained that several European sports federations expressed their discontent with facing Israeli teams, but they are compelled to adhere to international laws.

It noted that a British MP in Birmingham called, yesterday Thursday, on UEFA to "urgently cancel" a football match scheduled for November 6 in the Europa League between English team Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

According to the news report, European football stadiums have also become platforms for mass protests, with banners against the war in Gaza raised during major matches like the UEFA Champions League final, while a tennis match in Canada was held behind closed doors for security reasons.

Culturally, the newspaper mentioned that international artists and directors have joined the campaign to boycott Israeli festivals and film bodies.

Among the most notable historical examples of countries being excluded from sports participation, as mentioned by the Independent, is what happened to South Africa during the apartheid era; it did not participate in any Olympic Games after 1960 until the Barcelona Games in 1992, two years after the release of its late leader Nelson Mandela.

The other example cited by the newspaper was the rapid exclusion of Russia from most sports federations after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, to the extent that its athletes had to compete in the Paris Olympics under a neutral flag.

While there are currently no indications that Israel will face the same fate, some analysts considered Spain's move significant, especially since it is a major football power that will participate in hosting the World Cup in 2030 alongside Morocco and Portugal, according to the newspaper.